April 24, 2008

NO. 23 BRYANT STAYS HOT ON ROAD WITH 2-1 WIN OVER UMASS LOWELL THURSDAY NIGHT

Brent Almeida moved to 3-3 on the year with Bryant's 2-1 win Thursday night at Lowell.

Boxscore

LOWELL, Mass. -- An RBI single in the sixth from sophomore right fielder Taylor Ferguson (Charlton, Mass.) plated the Bulldogs' second run of the evening, proving to be just enough from the Bryant University baseball team to slide past UMass Lowell, 2-1, Thursday night at LaLacheur Park.

The Bulldogs (33-14, 20-5 Northeast-10 Conference) scattered five hits for their sixth-straight win, dropping the River Hawks (20-19, 14-8) for the second time this week.

Bryant scored single tallies in the second and sixth frames for the victory. Senior co-captain Jason Alexander (Simsbury, Conn.) reached on an error to lead off the second and was brought in two batters later by a Nick Campbell (Raynham, Mass.) fielder's choice ball.

Ferguson's infield single in the sixth scored Jeff Vigurs (South Windor, Conn.) to drive Bryant's lead to 2-0 before the River Hawks got one back in the eighth. But Jared Notargiacomo's score after leading off the inning with a double down the left field line wouldn't be enough to snap the Bulldogs' hot streak.

Hurler Brent Almeida (Fairhaven, Mass.) moved to 3-3 on the year, tossing eight innings while allowing just one run on four hits. The starter fanned four. Sophomore Eric Polvani (Wallingford, Conn.) picked up his seventh save in the win, fanning one in a perfect bottom of the ninth.

Dan White took the loss for UMass Lowell, falling to 3-4 on the season. The sophomore righty struck out one and issued a free pass on the afternoon.

Ferguson led Bryant at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Campbell notched the Bulldogs' second RBI on a 1-for-4 day. Notargiacomo went 2-for-3 with a run scored to lead the River Hawks.

Bryant returns to the field this Saturday for Senior Day, when the Bulldogs host American International College for a noon doubleheader at the Bryant Baseball Complex.