Parks' two-run single in the top of the ninth leveled the game at nine aside. (Photo Credit Crystal Ayn Hagberg).

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (May 14, 2024) – The Stonehill College baseball team dropped its midweek non-conference matchup to Bryant University, 10-9, Tuesday evening at Conaty Park in Smithfield, Rhode Island. With the loss, the Skyhawks fall to 18-26 overall, while the Bulldogs improve to 32-17 on the season.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Junior Taylor Gaspar entered the game in the seventh and went 2-for-2 at the dish with a ground-rule double and three-run homerun.
• Redshirt sophomore Sam Parks recorded three runs batted in on the day, two of which came on the game-tying two-run single in the ninth inning.
• Senior Blaine Lidsky paved the way for Stonehill's offense, finishing the non-conference matchup with a team-high three hits.
• Junior Zach Gleason had strong start on the mound, striking out a season-high seven batters over 6.0 innings of work.
• Graduate student Daniel Baruch fueled the Bulldogs offense, going 2-for-3 on the day with a homerun and four RBI.
• Senior Chris Einemann and sophomore Brandyn Durand each finished with a team-high three hits for Bryant.
• Sophomore Toby Scheidt was one of 10 pitchers to appear on the mound for the Bulldogs. In his 2.0 innings of work, he allowed two hits, no runs, and struck out three.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After two and a half scoreless innings on either side, the Bulldogs would light the scoreboard in the bottom of the third with the game's opening run. Bryant's one-run lead in the third came from an RBI single off the bat of freshman Evan Blake that drove home sophomore Gavin Greger, who reached base earlier in the inning via a single past a diving freshman Ryan LeClair at second.

Stonehill immediately responded in the top half of the fourth inning to level the game at one aside. Lidsky scored the Skyhawk's opening run and tied the game up at 1-1 with an RBI single into the right-centerfield gap, plating graduate student Conor Kiely, who led off the inning being hit by a pitch.

However, Baruch would give Bryant the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run shot over the centerfield fence. Baruch's homerun marked his ninth and the first Gleason has let up on the mound this season. After Baruch's round-tripper gave the Bulldogs a two-run advantage on the board, Stonehill would answer in the top of the fifth and cut the deficit in half. A ground ball by Kiely that bounced off the glove of the Bryant shortstop allowed freshman Aidan Sengenberger to race home from second and score the Skyhawk's second run of the game.

Following a pair of base knocks from Lidsky and senior Jack Marshall, as well as LeClair being hit by a pitch, loaded the bases for the Skyhawks to start the sixth inning, back-to-back bases-loaded hit batters would allow a pair of runs to cross the plate, giving Stonehill its first lead of the contest at 4-3.

In the sixth and seventh innings, the Bulldogs would hold the Skyhawks off the board and regain their lead. Back-to-back RBI singles from Baruch and senior Jackson Phinney fueled Bryant's two-run sixth, while a pair of run-scoring base knocks from Einemann and Durand followed by a sacrifice fly by Baruch gave Bryant a commanding 9-4 lead heading into the eighth.

Despite the Skyhawks mounting a five-run comeback in the top half of the ninth, the Bulldogs would walk it off in the bottom half of the ninth with an RBI double out to rightfield off the bat of Durand, scoring Einemann and sealing the 10-9 victory for Bryant. 

INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES

Gleason struck out a season-high seven batters over his 6.0 innings of work. (Photo Credit Mike Sudhalter).

• Ciulla-Hall and Gaspar each improved their on-base streaks to 27 and 30 games, respectively, while Parks and junior Dylan Zemotel have now each reached base in 19 consecutive games. 
• Marshall is now riding a team-leading 10-game hitting streak.
• Senior Jordan Marot, redshirt freshman Jake Lanzer, and graduate student Billy Duff each appeared in relief for the Skyhawks.

UP NEXT

Stonehill (18-26, 13-14 NEC) rounds out its regular season this weekend with a three-game series against Northeast Conference opponent Merrimack College. First pitch of Friday series opener between the Skyhawks and Warriors from North Andover, Massachusetts is set for 12 p.m.

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