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Staten Island, NY - Bryant scored three times in the top of the first inning en route to a 5-1 victory over Wagner in the series finale as the teams split their four-game series at Richmond County Bank Ballpark. The Bulldogs improve to 13-15 and 5-7 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) while the Seahawks fall to 10-19 and 8-8 in the NEC.
With one out in the top of the first inning, Kevin Brown hit his third home run of the year, a solo shot to right field, in staking Bryant to the early 1-0 lead. Dave Soltis followed with a single before moving to third on a Mike Delponte double. Soltis came around on a Wagner miscue before Delponte scored on Joseph Carcone's two-out single up the middle, giving the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.
Wagner immediately threatened in the bottom part of the frame as junior
Eddie Brown (Edison, NJ / St. Joseph's (Metuchen)) and senior
Seth Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy) each drew walks. Unfortunatley, the pair would be unable to advance as Bryant RHP John Michael Ryan struck out the next two batters before inducing an inning-ending ground out.
The Seahawks threatened again in the bottom of the second inning when senior
Joe Conforti (Staten Island, NY / Farrell) led off with a double down the right field line before advancing to third on a pass ball. Senior
Jack Rice (Middlesex, NJ / Immaculata) then smoked a ball sharply back up the middle that Ryan snared of a bounce while holding Conforti at third. The Bulldog hurler then struck out each of the next two batters while stranding Conforti 90 feet from home.
After a tough first inning, junior RHP
Ryan Van Spronsen (Brantford, Ontario / Assumption College) settled down and retired the side in order in the second and third frames before evading trouble in the fourth inning with some solid pitching. Jordan English reached on an error and Jamie Skagerlind singled before the pair moved to second-and-third on a sacrifice bunt. Van Spronsen exited the jam by inducing a pair of pop outs.
After stranding a runner in scoring position in the top of the fifth inning, Bryant extended its lead to 5-0 with a pair of runs in the sixth inning. Colin Shepard plated Skagerlind with a RBI single before Tim Norton laid down a successful sacrifice bunt, scoring Carcone.
The Green & White finally got on the board in the bottom of the eighth inning. Boyd led off the frame with his third hit of the game, a double to deep right center. Following a pair of outs, junior
Tommy Higgins (Port Monmouth, NJ / Red Bank Catholic) laced a 1-2 offering to right field, plating Boyd while providing the final 5-1 score.
Boyd was perfect on the day, going 3-for-3 with a walk while adding two stolen bases, a run and a double. Conforti also recorded multiple-hits, going 2-for-3 with a double.
Carcone went 3-for-3 with a run, RBI and sacrifice bunt while pacing a 10-hit Bulldog attack. Skagerlind and Soltis added multiple-hits for Bryant.
Ryan (3-1) earned the win, striking out nine while yielding one run on seven hits and a pair of walks over 7.2 innings before LHP Mark Andrews closed out the game, striking out two over 1.1 scoreless frames.
Van Spronsen, who has gotten just three runs from his offense over his four NEC starts, falls to 1-3 after yielding five runs, four earned, on nine hits and a walk over 6.0 innings.
Wagner returns to action on Wednesday, April 13 when the Seahawks host Seton Hall at 3:30 pm.
NOTES: The trio of sophomore RHP
Dakota Dvorak (Pompano Beach, FL / North Broward Prep), classmate RHP
Christian Rautenstrauch (Charlotte, NC / Providence Day) and senior LHP
David Rees (Staten Island, NY / Xavier) hurled 3.0 scoreless innings of relief, yielding just one single ... Boyd became just the fourth Seahawk to record 40 career doubles with his two-bagger in the bottom of the eighth inning ... He is also one hit shy of
Gil Barkman (188) for eighth place on the all-time list and is 10th in runs (110) and 10th in stolen bases (31) ... The Green & White have now split their first four NEC series' on the season after not recording one all of last season and have just five splits over the previous three seasons ... Rees moved past former teammate
Andrew Huebner into third place on the all-time record list with his 76th appearance and is just three off the school-record held by
Chris Pariseau ... Wagner posted a 2.25 ERA over 32.0 innings this weekend ... The teams combined to go just 9-for-66 (.136) on the weekend with runners in scoring position ... Next weekend the Seahawks travel to first place Monmouth (11-5 NEC).