Ciliento, Ward take home NEC weekly honors
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University baseball teammates James Ciliento (Mahwah, N.J.) and Ryan Ward (Millbury, Mass.) have been named the Northeast Conference Player and Rookie of the Week, respectively.
Ciliento picks up his second weekly honor of the year, while Ward is now a four-time rookie of the week winner.
Ciliento accounted for 12 runs batted in during Bryant's NEC series victory over LIU Brooklyn. The second-year Bulldog recorded at least one RBI and one run scored in each of the four road games. For the series, the Garden State product hit .500 (8-for-16) with three doubles, two home runs, three walks, 12 RBI and seven runs scored. He struck out only once over 21 plate appearances and slugged 1.063. He exploded for a six-RBI performance in the finale of the four-game set. Powering Bryant to a 20-2 series-clinching victory, Ciliento went 4-for-5 with two home runs, two walks and three runs scored. He wasted little time in setting of the fireworks display, launching a two-run bomb over the right-field fence two batters into the contest. Ciliento reached base safely three times in the series opener on Friday, an 11-1 triumph for the Bulldogs. He recorded an RBI single and later came around to score during Bryant's four-run second inning that broke a scoreless tie. He gave Bryant some breathing room in the seventh inning of Game 2, connecting on a two-run double to bump the lead to 5-2. Ciliento walked, scored and drove in one run during the series' third game, a 7-6 setback.
Ward has spent much of his redshirt freshman season raking at the top of the Bryant batting order and the Bulldogs' recent trip to Brooklyn yielded similar results. Adding to his league-leading hits total, the 5-foot-11 outfielder batted .588 (10-for-17) with six doubles, two walks, three steals, four RBI and eight runs scored during a four-game road set at NEC rival LIU Brooklyn. Ward, who leads the conference with 49 hits and 12 doubles this season, reached base at least twice and scored at least one run in each of the four road contests. His second-inning RBI single opened the scoring in Game 1 and the rookie went on to add a sacrifice fly in the eventual 11-1 triumph. Ward, who finished 3-for-3 with a walk, led off Game 2 by singling and eventually coming around to score the first run in Bryant's 7-2 victory. After recording a pair of two-baggers during a 7-6 setback in the first half of Saturday's double dip, Ward smashed three doubles in the triumphant nightcap. His lone single during the 4-for-6 performance came leading off the eventual 20-2 win. Ward has now hit safely in 14 straight and reached base safely in 24 straight.
In addition, junior Steve Theetge (Syracuse, N.Y.) was named an NEC Prime Performer. Theetge allowed one run on five hits, walked three and struck out a career-high nine in the series opener at LIU Brooklyn. He has now recorded three-straight quality starts and a team-high four on the year.
The Bulldogs are back in action on Wednesday afternoon when they travel to regional rival Connecticut. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.