Bulldogs complete weekend sweep of CCSU, 7-2

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Redshirt sophomore Ryan Ward (Millbury, Mass.) homered twice to lead the Bryant University baseball team to a 7-1 victory and a weekend sweep of Central Connecticut in game two of Friday's Northeast Conference doubleheader.

The Bulldogs hit five home runs in the game and finished the three-game series with 13. Friday's second game was Bryant's fifth game in four days this week.

Batting leadoff, Ward went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI. Senior Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.), junior Gaby Cruz (Miami, Fla.) and classmate James Ciliento (Mahwah, N.J.) all added home runs for the Black and Gold.

On the mound, senior Nathan Wrighter (Windsor, N.Y.) made his first-career start and tossed four scoreless innings to earn the win. He allowed one hit, walked one and struck out four.

Game Information
Bryant 7, Central Connecticut 2
Records: Bryant (28-12, 10-2 NEC), Central Connecticut (15-15, 5-7 NEC)
Location: CCSU Baseball Field (New Britain, Conn.)
W|L|S: Nathan Wrighter (2-1) | Patrick Mitchell (3-3) | Chris Wright (9)

Coach Owens' Comments

"It was a really good day. Offensively, we were awesome in game one. Tyler gave us a great start and we got contributions from everyone. We needed to bullpen the second game and Nate got us off to a great start with four innings. Then we pieced it together and Chris came in did what he does. After playing five games in four days we are looking forward to a couple days of rest and then we'll get back at it next week."

Key Moments

• After a scoreless first, Bryant homered in each of the next four innings to build a 7-0 lead.  
• CCSU threatened in the eighth inning as it loaded the bases with one out. Junior Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) moved over from first and induced a foul pop out before striking out Dave Matthews to strand the bases loaded.

How it Happened

• Angelini got things going in the second as he opened the inning with a long home run to left field.
• In the third, Ward led off with a opposite-field drive to left center. Later in the inning, Ciliento walloped a two-run shot over the scoreboard in left center.
• Ward was back at it in the fourth as he hit a missile over the center field fence for a two-run shot.
• Cruz then joined the fun in the fifth as hit a solo home run to dead center to make it 7-0.
• CCSU plated single runs in the sixth and seveth. The run in the sixth scored on a triple and the run in the seventh scored on a double play ground out.

Stats

• Bryant outhit CCSU, 11-6.
• The Bulldogs hit five home runs in the game.
• Ward finished 2-for-5 with two home runs, three RBI and two runs scored.
• Angelini went 3-for-5 with a double and a home run.
• Cruz posted two hits, including a home run.
• Freshman Brian Nicolas (Langhorne, Pa.) had two hits and a run scored.
• Ciliento homered and drove in two.
• Wrighter allowed no runs on one hit, walked one and struck out four over four innings in his first start.
• Redshirt junior Jack Owens (Scituate, R.I.) tossed a scoreless fifth.
• Freshman Jackson Harrigan (Acton, Mass.) retired TT Bowens with two on in the seventh and recorded one out in the eighth.
• Wright entered with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth and got a foul pop and a strikeout to get out of the jam.

Notes and Notables

• Bryant is now 37-11 against CCSU. The Bulldogs won five of the six meetings between the two teams this year.
• Bryant has now won or tied 67 of its 71 NEC series.
• The Bulldogs have now swept each of their last three weekend series.
• Bryant hit five home runs in the game and now leads the country with 67.
• The Bulldogs have now homered in 13-straight games and have hit multiple home runs in seven-straight. Both are the longest such streaks in program history.
• Ward now has 27 hits over his last 12 games. He's hit safely in all 12 of those contests.
• Ward posted his third-career multi-homer game. He hit four home runs in the series and now has 19 in his career. Ward is third in DI program history in home runs.   
• Ciliento's home run was his 10th of the year. He now has 47 RBI and 53 runs scored
• Ciliento's 53 runs scored are tied for the fifth-most in a single-season in program history.
• Ciliento is also just the fourth player in DI program history to hit 10+ home runs in a single season.
• Ciliento and redshirt sophomore Jimmy Titus (Stafford, Conn.) are the first set of teammates to both hit 10+ home runs in the same season in DI program history. They are the first teammates in program history since Jim Hoyt, Jeremy Sweet and Scott Yankee in 2001.
• Angelini hit his 21st career home run. He is second in DI program history and tied for seventh all-time.
• Angelini also tied the DI program record for runs scored in a career with 172.
• Angelini also stole his 52nd career base.
• Angelini has now finished a triple shy of the cycle five times this season.  
• With a walk, Wright has now reached safely in 29-straight games.
• Wright also earned his league-leading ninth save. He is 9-for-10 in save opportunities this year.
• Nicolas has posted multiple hits in six of his last eight starts.
• Wrighter made his first-career start after 65 relief appearances.
• Wrighter matched his season-high in innings pitched and tied his career high with four strikeouts.

Up Next

The Bulldogs will have four days off before welcoming Boston College to Conaty Park next Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.