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May 17, 2007

Bryant baseball drops NCAA opener

Making their fifth career appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2002, the Bryant baseball team overcame a 4-0 deficit, only to fall 5-4 to the second-seed Adelphi Panthers today in the opening round of the Northeast Regional in Rindge, N.H.

Bryant (32-23) will take on Wilmington College (Del.) Friday at 11 a.m. in an elimination game.

Adelphi got on the board first as second baseman Ralph Tropiano got the first Panther hit of the game, a two-out homerun over the right-center field fence.

The Panthers added to their lead in the fifth when Tropiano roped a bases loaded single to right field to plate one run, and Rob DeGennaro lined a double to left center to bring home two more and increase Adelphi’s lead to 4-0.

Bryant stormed back in the sixth, scoring four times, as Nick Campbell led off with an infield single and scored after a pop fly to right hit by Mike Rocco was dropped by right fielder Robert Calca.

Calca then threw the ball over shortstop’s Mike Colonna’s head allowing Campbell to wheel all around the bases and score on the two fielding errors. Catcher Jeff Vigurs then singled on the next pitch, moving Rocco to third; Vigurs advanced to second taking advantage of a poor relay throw.

T.J. Magnell followed with a two-run single to cut the lead to one, and with Magnell on second and one out, Dylan Stone lined a single down the left-field line to cap off a four-run sixth inning and tie the game at four.

Starter Kevin Cobb and Eric Polvani combined to escape a bases loaded, one-out jam in the sixth as Cobb got Billy Neubauer to strike out and Polvani came in and got Tropiano to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the threat.

The Panthers regained the lead off Polvani in the seventh as Bill Melillo singled home Colonna.

Mike McLasky, a starter turned reliever, came on for the final two innings, earning his fourth save of the season.

Cobb went 5.2 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, while striking out two. Polvani (4-3) took the loss, allowing one run in 1.1 innings.

Sophomore Bobby Lanigan used his overpowering fastball, striking out 11 Bulldogs over seven innings, allowing four runs (three earned).

Today's elimination game will broadcast live on bryantbulldogs.com.

--BRYANT ATHLETICS

Posted by Corey Bourassa  at 5:17 PM to College Sports | Permalink

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