Eight-run sixth fuels baseball's 9-3 win over No. 25 UConn

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Freshman Vito Morgese (Warwick, N.Y.) recorded his third-consecutive quality start and the Bryant University baseball team erupted for eight runs in the sixth inning to defeat No. 25 University of Connecticut, 9-3, on Tuesday afternoon at Conaty Park.

The win is the Bulldogs' (11-18) fourth-straight overall and their first at home against a nationally-ranked team in Division I program history. The Huskies (19-11) had won 10 of their last 12 coming in and were ranked No. 25 in the most recent Baseball American poll. Bryant has won its first four home games of the season and 17 of its last 19 dating back to last season.

Trailing 3-1 in the sixth, the Black and Gold put together their biggest offensive inning of the season as they sent 14 men to the plate and scored eight runs on seven hits. UConn was forced to use four different pitchers in the inning. Entering the game, the Bulldogs had been outscored 39-15 in the sixth inning this season.

Facing reliever Doug Domnarski, freshman Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) walked and senior Jacob Marotta (Bridgewater, Mass.) doubled off the top of the left field wall to open the inning. Sophomore Tyler Panno (Rivervale, N.J.) followed with a single to center that was bobbled, allowing both runs to score, tying the game at 3-3.

Freshman Gaby Cruz (Miami, Fla.) then laced a single to right center to put runners on the corners and junior Malik Daley (Northborough, Mass.) stung a ground ball to short that was misplayed, allowing a run to score and breaking the tie. Freshman Jimmy Titus (Stafford, Conn.) then made it 5-3 with a sharp single up the middle.

The big blow in the inning came two batters later as junior Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) greeted reliever C.J. Dandeneau with a bases-clearing, three-run triple into the right field corner. Marotta capped the scoring with his second double of the inning to score Gasper.

Morgese and classmate Jack Ipsen (Eatontown, N.J.) combined to limit UConn to just three runs on eight hits on Tuesday afternoon. Pitching in his third-straight midweek game, Morgese notched his third-consecutive start of at least six innings and three runs or less allowed. He scattered seven hits, allowed three runs, walked one and didn't strike out a batter over six innings.

Ipsen pitched the final three innings, allowing just one hit with two walks and two strikeouts to earn his second save.

UConn did its only damage against Morgese in the fourth, scoring all three of its runs. A walk and a single with one out got the inning going before John Toppa hit a ground ball to first that Wright fielded and fired to second for the second out. Titus threw the ball back to first as Morgese was coming over to the cover and the lefty caught the ball with his barehand, keeping it from going into the UConn dugout. It was only a brief reprieve, however, as Chris Winkel drove in the first run of the game with a single through the right side.

Morgese then picked off Winkel at first base but the Bulldogs attempted to get the runner at third instead. Toppa, who had strayed off the base, was able to slide back safely. A few pitches later, Conor Moriarty doubled into the left-center gap to score two and make it 3-0.

Bryant got one run back in the bottom half of the inning on a sac fly from Wright. Sophomore Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) walked and moved to third on a Gasper single to right. Wright then hit a sinking liner to center that Keith Krueger caught while tumbling to the ground, allowing Angelini to trot home easily.

The Bulldogs had five players finish with multiple hits; Titus (2-5, RBI, R), Gasper (2-5, 3RBI), Marotta (2 2B), Panno (2-4, RBI, R) and Cruz (2-4). Marotta now leads the Black and Gold with nine doubles this season.

Bryant returns to Northeast Conference play on Friday when it opens a four-game series against LIU Brooklyn. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.