Bulldogs fall to Army, 11-7, on Friday

CARY, N.C. – Senior Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) had three hits and four RBI, while redshirt freshman Ryan Ward (Millbury, Mass.) had three hits and scored three times but the Bryant University baseball team fell to Army, 11-7, on Friday afternoon at the National Training Center.

Gasper doubled twice for the first time in his career and drove in a career-high four runs. Army, however, scored five runs in the third inning and then held off a late rally with a three-run seventh inning.

Game Information

Bryant 7, Army 11

Records: Bryant (0-7), Army (4-4)

Location: National Training Center (Cary, N.C.)

W|L: Steve Theetge (0-3) | Tyler Giovinco (2-1)

Key Moments

• Trailing 4-1 in the third, Army grabbed the lead with five runs on five hits. Garrett Houston tied the game with a two-run single through the left side and Tim Simoes gave the Black Knights the lead with a two-out, two-run single to center.
• Moments after Bryant pulled within a run, 8-7, Army scored three runs after there were two outs and no one on in the seventh to put the game away.

How it happened

• Bryant got out to a quick start, scoring twice in each of the first two innings. In the first, singles from Ward and Gasper set up an RBI single from junior Tyler Panno (Rivervale, N.J.). Sophomore Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) made it 2-0 with a two-out single to left field.
• In the second, Ward started a two-out rally with a double into the right field corner. Junior Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) was then hit by a pitch and Gasper followed with a double into the left field corner to score both.
• Army erased the deficit with five runs in the third. Jacob Hurtubise beat out a ground ball to short to start the inning, Drake Titus walked and Jon Rosoff singled to left to score the first run. Houston and Simoes then delivered a pair of two-run singles to make it 6-4.
• The Black Knights extended their lead with two runs in the sixth. A single and a hit batter put two on and Rosoff followed with a sharp single to right. Hurtubise wasn't heading home initially, but the Bulldogs attempted to throw behind Rosoff at first and the ball got away. John McKenna's safety squeeze scored the second run.
• Bryant pulled within a run in the seventh with three runs on four hits. Ward singled and Angelini's fly ball to right was dropped to put two on. Gasper followed with another two-run double into the left field corner. Back-to-back swinging-bunt singles from sophomore James Ciliento (Mahwah, N.J.) and Wright scored the final run of the inning.
• Army, however, answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Simoes was hit with two outs, stole second and scored on a bloop double from Hurtubise. Two batters later, Rosoff singled to center to score one and a fielding error in the outfield brought home a second to make it 11-7.

Stats

• Batting leadoff, Ward went 3-for-5 with three runs scored.
• Angelini scored twice despite not recording a hit.
• Gasper went 3-for-5 with two doubles, four RBI and two runs scored.
• Panno went 3-for-5 with an RBI single.
• Wright finished 2-for-4 with two RBI.
• Junior Steve Theetge (Syracuse, N.Y.) allowed six runs on seven hits, walked three and struck out five over three innings.
• Classmate Craig Lacey (Westfield, Mass.) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits over 2 2/3 innings of relief.
• Army starter Tyler Giovinco struck out 12 batters over 6 1/3 innings. He allowed five runs on eight hits.
• Hurtubise went 3-for-4 with four runs scored as Army's leadoff hitter. Rosoff added three hits and two RBI, while Anthony Giachin went 4-for-5.

Game Notes

• Bryant and Army have now split their two all-time meetings.
• The Bulldogs' 12 hits were a season high.
• Ward recorded three hits for the second time this season and his three runs scored were a career-high.
• Gasper recorded his fifth-career three-hit game, the first multi-double game of his career and his first-career four-RBI game.
• Panno's three-hit game was his second of the season and tied a career-high.
• Wright posted his first multi-hit game of the year and his multi-RBI game of the year.
• Senior Ross Weiner (Woodbridge, Conn.) tossed a scoreless eighth and has now recorded three scoreless outings on the year.

Up Next

Bryant faces Boston College on day two of the Army Invitational. The Bulldogs and Eagles will play at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday at the National Training Center.