America East Baseball News & Notes: Bryant College on a Roll

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There’s no question that last week was the best seven-day period in the America East for baseball this spring. Bryant College, the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, and Binghamton all picked up series wins. UAlbany and NJIT also found their way into the win column. Let’s take a look at what was a very good week for the conference.

Bryant College (5-7) is on a four-game winning streak. Last weekend they swept Davidson on the road winning the series by a combined 32-16 count. Friday’s contest was the closest of the three games played. The extra-inning victory by the Bulldogs came about after both teams scored in the ninth inning to force free baseball. In the eleventh inning, the Bulldogs pushed across what would turn out to be the winning run on an RBI groundout by CF Derek Smith with the bases loaded. Smith also homered in the fourth. Austin Wainer pitched a perfect bottom of the eleventh to pick up the win. He is now 1-1, Wainer went two innings, giving up three hits, and zero runs, with five strikeouts and no walks. On Saturday, Coleman Pickard (3-1) went six innings and gave up five hits, three runs, two earned, ten strikeouts, and one walk. He got offensive support in the form of home runs by 3B John Hosmer in the 8th, part of a (4-for-6, 4 RBI, 2 RS night) and from Brian Schaub with a two-run HR in the 4th. The Bulldogs cruised to a 15-5 win. On Sunday, the Bulldogs completed the sweep with an 11-1 victory as Ken Turner (1-1) went five innings and gave up four hits, and one run. DH Lance Barnum (4-4, 3 RBI, 2 RS) and leadoff hitter Jake Gustin (3-4, 2 RBI, one RS) had good a good game.

The Binghamton Bearcats (5-7) took two of three from George Washington University over the weekend. The Bearcats took game one on Friday by a 7-4 score. They received help from a GW defense that committed five errors in the game. That led to four unearned runs for the Bearcats. Thomas Babalis (1-2) went 5.1 innings giving up five hits, two earned runs, six strikeouts, and two walks for the win. LF Cavan Tully and 3B Devan Bade had two hits apiece. After losing on Saturday, the Bearcats flexed their muscles on Sunday. A 12-run first inning allowed Binghamton to win the series with a 17-8 win. Ryan Bryggman (1-2) got the win going 5.1 innings giving up nine hits, and three earned runs. 2b Nick Roselli had a week’s worth of production in one game. He was 2-of-3, with 4 RS, and seven RBI. His three-run HR in the first got things rolling for the Bearcats.

UMBC (6-5) took a series from Mount St Mary. After losing game one 12-6 on Saturday, the Retrievers came back on Sunday and took a doubleheader to win the series. Game one saw UMBC score three in the top of the ninth to erase a 7-6 deficit to win 10-7. A bases-clearing double by catcher Tony Krueger (2-of-5, 3 RBI, 1 RS) was the big hit that gave his team the margin of victory. Ben Craig came out of the UMBC bullpen to nail it down with an inning of work, giving up one hit for his second save of the year. Chris Ho was the winner out of the bullpen although he did give up three hits and two earned runs to put his team behind. In game two, UMBC won 13-2 in a game that went only six innings. Nick Remy (2-2) went 5.1 innings of three-hit, two-run baseball. Backup catcher Derek Paris took advantage of the start and delivered a 3-3 day with three RBI and two runs scored. 1B Leewood Molessa and RF Ian Diaz had two-hit games.

NJIT lost a series with the Missouri Tigers. The Highlanders (5-8) took game two of a Friday doubleheader 2-1. The game went seven innings and NJIT got great pitching from starter Adam Kidd (3-1) who went 4.1 innings, giving up three hits, one earned run, three walks, and six strikeouts. Grant Vurpillat came out of the bullpen to earn his first save of the season with 2.2 innings of two-hit pitching. The offense was supplied by 3B Jared Donnelly whose two-run HR to right in the 2nd would be all the offense the Highlanders would need. UAlbany (2-7-1 ) took the opening game of their series with St. John’s 9-5. They scored five in the eight to get the win. RF Dan Tauken had a 3-for-4 day with four RBI and two runs scored. One of his hits was a HR in the fifth to right field. Ryan Pittz out of the Great Danes pen was the winner (1-0) with two innings of two-hit ball

Bryant College took both the Player of the Week and Pitcher of the Week. The player is 3B John Hosmer who went 6-for-12 with seven RBI, four runs scored, two home runs and a double to help the Bulldogs win the series over Davidson. He slugged 1.083 and had a .600 on-base percentage for the three games. Coleman Pickard is the pitcher as he struck out ten in his outing, allowing three runs, two of which were earned. He gave up five hits.

UMBC’s first baseman/DH Leewood Molessa is the America East Rookie of the Week. He had a slash line of .467/.867/1.423 over the weekend. He hit one home run, eight RBIs, five runs scored, and 13 total bases, with eight putouts.

Next week we’ll look back at how this weekend went and look ahead to the start of conference play for the America East Conference.