Angelini's walk-off caps wild Friday win over FDU

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th to lift the Bryant University baseball team to a wild 12-11 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday afternoon at Conaty Park.

Angelini's hit was also a historic one as he became the 19th player in DI program history to record 200 career hits. His single was made possible by 2 1/3 perfect innings of relief from redshirt junior Jack Owens (Scituate, R.I.).

Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Titus (Stafford, Conn.) went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI, junior Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) had three hits and classmate Gaby Cruz (Miami, Fla.) hit a two-run home run. Freshman Jake Gustin (Peabody, Mass.) scored a career-high four runs, including the game-winning run.

Game Information
Bryant 12, Fairleigh Dickinson 11
Records: Bryant (18-10, 5-2 NEC), Fairleigh Dickinson (4-21-1, 2-5 NEC)
Location: Conaty Park (Smithfield, R.I.)
W|L|S: Jack Owens (3-0) | Aaron Cohn (1-1)

Coach Owens' Comments

"When you play a long game where things don't go to well for a lot of the day and you can come out on the right end of it makes it a little bit better. We got good relief pitching from Will and great relief from Jack. We played bad defense. We hit well. Jimmy had good day, Gaby had a big home run and Nick put an exclamation point on the day with his hit. We're happy that we won the game but we want to play much better going into tomorrow and the next day."

Key Moments

• Jack Owens entered with the game tied and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth and proceeded to strikeout the batter to end the inning.
• In the 10th, Angelini delivered the win with a line drive single to right field.  

How it Happened

• Bryant opened the scoring with three unearned runs in the first. Wright, sophomore Shane Kelly (Sewell, N.J.) and classmate Sam Owens (Scituate, R.I.) all collected RBI singles in the inning.
• The Knights cut into the deficit with two runs in the third. Nate Brodsky doubled home the first run and then came around to score on the backend of a run down with runners on the corners.
• Titus pushed the Bryant lead to 4-2 when he opened the bottom of the third with a solo home run to left field.
• FDU then took the lead with six runs in the top of the fourth. Bobby Romano and Brodsky tied the game with singles and Adam Frank gave the Knights the lead with a two-out, two-run single. The final two runs of the inning scored on errors.
• Bryant made it a one-run game with a three-run sixth. Junior James Ciliento (Mahwah, N.J.) brought in a run with a ground out and then Titus scored two as his ground ball down the third base line hit the bag and caromed into left field, making it 8-7 FDU.
• The Bulldogs then took the lead in the seventh when Cruz hammered a first-pitch fastball to deep left center for a two-run home run. Gustin then delivered a run-scoring triple to dead center and scored on a Titus sac fly.
• FDU was able to tie the game in the top of the eighth as Mike Veit singled home two and Ryan Glowacki walked with the bases loaded. Owens was then summoned and got a strikeout to keep the game tied.
• In the 10th, Gustin walked to open the inning and then advanced to second on a fielding error. He moved to third on a fly out to right and got to trot home as Angelini laced a walk-off single to right field.

Stats

• Bryant outhit FDU, 13-12.
• The Bulldogs made four errors in the game.
• Gustin finished 1-4 with an RBI, four runs scored and two walks.
• Titus went 2-for-3 with a home run, four RBI and two runs scored. He reached safely four times.
• Wright went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
• Angelini went 2-for-6 with the walk-off single.
• Kelly had a hit and an RBI.
• Sam Owens went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
• Cruz homered and drove in two.
• Senior Steve Theetge (Syracuse, N.Y.) allowed eight runs (five earned) on nine hits, walked two and struck out nine over five innings.
• Sophomore Will Treuel (Wolfeboro, N.H.) allowed one run and walked two over two innings of relief.
• Jack Owens retired all seven batters he faced to earn the win.  

Notes and Notables

• Bryant improves to 36-4 all-time against FDU. The Bulldogs have won 11-straight against the Knights.  
• Bryant is now 97-1 when scoring 10+ runs under head coach Steve Owens. The Bulldogs also improved to 3-42 when allowing an opponent to score 10+ runs. Two of the three wins have happened this year.
• Angelini became the 19th player in program history to record 200 career hits.
• Angelini now has 10 multi-hit games this year and 60 in his career.
• Gustin scored a career-high four runs on the day.
• Sam Owens posted the 22nd multi-game of his career.
• Jack Owens has now tossed 10 2/3 innings of scoreless relief this year.
• Titus' home run was his seventh of the season, tied for the most in the NEC.
• Titus now has 26 RBI in his last 11 games.
• Cruz has now homered twice in the last two weeks. He hadn't homered since his freshman year in 2017.

Up Next

Bryant and FDU continue their weekend series on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.