Smithfield, RI – The Wagner College baseball team fell to the Bryant University Bulldogs, 9-3, on Friday afternoon. With the loss, the Seahawks fall to 4-9 on the year and 2-6 in Northeast Conference (NEC) while the Bulldogs improve to 10-7-1 and remain perfect in league action at 8-0.
Jared Gillen finished with two hits, two RBIs, and a run scored.
Jake Lutz and
Ethan Valdez each recorded a hit and scored a run,
Henry Martinez drove in Wagner's third RBI of the contest.
For the Bulldogs, James Ciliento had four hits while driving in two and scoring twice. Jake Gustin drove in a game-high four RBI. Liam McGill added two RBIs and Vincenzo Castronovo finished with two hits.
The Bulldogs struck for two runs in the bottom of the first. Smith led off with a walk and Ciliento reached on an infield single to short. The next batter, Gustin, singled through the right side that scored Derek Smith. McGill sent a sacrifice fly to right as Ciliento tagged up and scored the second run of the inning.
Bryant put up four more runs in the bottom of the fourth, in upping its lead to 6-0. Brandon Taylor led off with a walk and moved on a sacrifice bunt by Woods.
With two outs, Ciliento singled to third, which gave the Bulldogs runners on the corners. Gustin then stepped up and uncorked a three-run shot to right field, which made it 5-0.
Bryant built upon their momentum, as McGill singled to left and Damaurys Rodriguez singled up the middle that once again gave the home team runners on the corners.
Castronovo singled to right as McGill scored the sixth run of the ballgame for Bryant while ending Gallagher's afternoon.
Mike Pirrotta came on in relief of
Pat Gallagher and was able to get Tommy DiTullio to ground out to short to end the big inning.
Wagner cut the deficit in half, scoring three runs in the top half of the fifth. Lutz reached after being hit by a pitch and Valdez moved him to third with a single down the left field line. Valdez moved into scoring position after steal second.
Gillen cleared the bases with a two-run double to left center, putting Wagner on the board.
The next batter, Henry Martinez, sent a single through the right side as Gillen came around to score as Wagner trailed 6-3.
Bryant added to its lead in the bottom of the inning, increasing the margin to 8-3. Taylor was plunked by a Pirrotta errant pitch before Woods reached on a throwing error by Pirrotta. Ciliento sent a one-out single to center and moved to second after Gillen misplayed the ball, as Taylor and Woods crossed the plate. The Seahawks escape the frame without any further damage, as Pirrotta induced a pair of fly outs.
Freddy Sabido led off the sixth with an opposite field double, but was stranded at second, as Wagner failed to put another man on base through the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, Bryant added another run off Jagger Duquette following singles from Smith and Cilento, a throwing error, and a sacrifice fly by McGill.
With one out in the eighth, David Melfi singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sabido drew a walk of his own, and both runners advanced on another wild pitch, but Schneider and Ruggiero both struck out to end the threat.
Gillen singled in the top of the ninth, giving him six straight games with multiple hits, but was stranded to end the game.
The series wraps Saturday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
