Bryant completes sweep of Merrimack with big Sunday

ANDOVER, Mass. – The Bryant University baseball team erupted for 32 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Merrimack on Sunday afternoon at Greater Lawrence Technical School.

Bryant won game one 18-1 and completed the weekend sweep with a 14-0 victory in game two of the doubleheader. The Bulldogs picked up 33 hits offensively, while the pitching staff combined to surrender just 14 hits, walked five and struck out 18.

Liam McGill, JP Knight, Damaurys Rodriguez and Sam Sinisgalli paced Bryant's offense in the opener with three RBI each. Derek Smith, James Ciliento and Vincenzo Castronovo combined for nine hits, eight RBI and six runs scored.

Game Information
Game 1: Bryant 18, Merrimack 1
Game 2: Bryant 14, Merrimack 0
Records: Bryant (5-7, 3-0 NEC), Merrimack (3-8, 0-3 NEC)
Location: Greater Lawrence Technical School (Andover, Mass.)
Game 1: W|L|S: Tyler Schoff (1-0) | Amidon (0-3)
Game 2: W|L|S: Vito Morgese (1-1) | R. Sorenson (2-1)

Game 1

Key Moment

• Rodriguez highlighted a five-run second inning with his first-career home run, a two-run shot, making it 9-0.   

How it Happened

• Bryant was able to plate four runs in the first inning without the benefit of a hit. Two bases-loaded walks, a fielder's choice and a hit by pitch with the bases loaded brought in the runs.
• McGill delivered an RBI single to open the five-run second and Knight followed with a two-run double. Rodriguez then clubbed his first-career home run to make it 9-0.
• McGill added another RBI single in the third before the Bulldogs tacked on three more in the fourth without a hit.
• Sinisgalli picked up RBI singles in the fifth and sixth innings to help Bryant close out its scoring.  

Stats

• Bryant outhit Merrimack, 13-5.
• Tyler Schoff earned the win with 5.0 innings of one-run ball. He walked one and struck out six.
• Brett Wichrowski, Austin Wainer, Jack Halbruner and Will Treuel all tossed a scoreless inning of relief.
• Ciliento scored three runs.
• McGill finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.
• Knight added two hits, three RBI and two runs scored.
• Rodriguez homered, drove in three and scored three runs.
• Sinisgalli finished with three hits, three RBI and two runs scored.   

Game 2

Key Moment

• Ciliento capped a five-run second inning with a two-run home run.

How it Happened

• Bryant scored five runs with two outs in the second. Matt Woods drove in the first run with a single and Smith followed with a two-run single to left. Ciliento then launched his second home run of the weekend to make it 5-0.
• Jake Gustin and McGill extended Bryant's lead to 7-0 with RBI singles in the fourth.
• Bryant tacked on single runs in the sixth and seventh before scoring four times in the eighth.
• Rodriguez drove in a run with a single and Castronovo followed with a three-run home run to left.
• A bases-loaded walk in the ninth closed the scoring for Bryant.

Stats

• Bryant outhit Merrimack, 20-9.
• Vito Morgese walked one and struck out four over 5.0 scoreless innings.
• Jackson Harrigan, Mike Randazzo, Kevin Gould and Jack Ipsen all tossed a scoreless inning of relief.
• Smith finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
• Ciliento went 3-for-4 with three RBI, three runs scored and a home run.
• Gustin went 3-for-4 with an RBI.
• McGill drove in two.
• Knight added two hits and an RBI.
• Castronovo had three hits and three RBI.
• Tommy DiTullio picked up two hits and scored twice.

Game Notes

• Bryant swept its first NEC series of the season.
• The Bulldogs outscored Merrimack 42-1 on the weekend.
• Ciliento finished the day 4-for-5 with four RBI and six runs scored.
• Ciliento moved into sole possession of fifth place in DI program history with 19 home runs.
• Ciliento became the eighth player in DI program history to record 200 career hits.
• Knight, Castronovo and Rodriguez all drove in four runs, while McGill finished with five RBI in the doubleheader.
• Sinisgalli posted career highs in hits (3) and RBI (4) in the opener.  

Up Next

Bryant will host Rhode Island in its home opener before traveling to Mount St. Mary's for a weekend series.