Baseball Splits Non-Conference Twinbill with RIC

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with visiting Rhode Island College on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Park.

The host Bears (7-5) won the opener, 5-2, while the Anchormen (6-7-1) earned the split with a 5-0 victory in game two.

In game one, David Holmes (North Easton, Mass.) worked the first six innings giving up two runs on just three hits to pick up the win on the hill for Bridgewater State. Holmes (2-0) walked two and fanned one as he threw 87 pitches. Connor Birch (Bellingham, Mass.) pitched a scoreless seventh inning, working around a pair of walks, to record his second save of the season.

Dylan Pingitore (Johnston, R.I.) suffered the loss on the mound for the Anchormen in the complete game effort. Pingitore (1-2) allowed five runs, only one of which was earned, on three hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

The Bears capitalized on two errors and a pair of wild pitches to push across all five of their runs (all coming with two outs) in the bottom of the third inning.  With one away, Scott O'Brien (East Bridgewater, Mass.) singled and moved to second on a strikeout/wild pitch. After and infield single by Ryan Feeney (East Bridgewater, Mass.) put runners on the corners, O'Brien raced home on a wild pitch to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. Feeney came around to score one batter later when Travis Ritchie (Taunton, Mass.) reached on a dropped fly ball. Following a walk to Brandon Hoyle (Bridgewater, Mass.), Reed Pike (Bellingham, Mass.) ripped a base hit up the middle to plate Ritchie with the third run of the frame. Hoyle and Pike would both score when Anthony Licciardello (Haverhill, Mass.) reached on a throwing error.

The Anchormen scored their only two runs of the game in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Austin Barry (North Kingstown, R.I.) and a solo home run off the bat of Edward Apice (North Kingstown, R.I). RIC could have done more damage in the frame but had two runners picked off first base.

Barry went 2-for-3 at the plate in game one as he was the only player with multiple hits.

In game two, Jake Murray (Middletown, R.I.) tossed a complete game, three-hit shutout to earn his first win of the season. Murray (1-1) did not issue a walk, hit a batter and struck out four in an 84-pitch effort.

RIC broke a scoreless tie with a run in the top of the third inning. Scott Linnane (North Kingstown, R.I.) reached on an infield single with one out, moved to second on a ground out and scored on an RBI single by Brad Douglas (Wakefield, R.I.).

The Anchormen tacked on a pair of unearned runs in the sixth to extend the lead to 3-0. Douglas reached on an error to open the frame, moved to second on a ground out, third on a fly out and scored on a passed ball. A single by Apice and a walk to Tyler Rains (North Kingstown, R.I.) kept the inning going. Frank Pettinato (Cranston, R.I.) followed with a base hit up the middle, but Rains was gunned down attempting to go to third. Apice scored a controversial run on the play as the home plate umpire ruled that the runner crossed the plate before the out was recorded at third.

RIC made it a 5-0 game in the seventh as Gian Abbruzzese (North Providence, R.I.) walked and Linnane singled to open the inning. Abbruzzese then advanced to third on a fielder's choice ground out and scored on a wild pitch. After an out, TJ Lynch (South Kingstown, R.I.) smacked an RBI double to the gap in left-centerfield to give the Anchormen the 5-0 lead.

Linnane paced the RIC offense in game two as he went 3-for-3 with a stolen base.

Shane Surette (Haverhill, Mass.) suffered the loss on the mound for the Bears despite pitching well. Surette (2-1) gave up three runs (one earned) on five hits over six innings of work. He walked two and fanned three.

Both teams are back in action on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30. The Bears entertain the Rams of Suffolk University, while the Anchormen travel to Worcester State University to take on the Lancers.