Baseball Falls to Neumann in Myrtle Beach, 12-6

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Bridgewater State University baseball team dropped a 12-6 decision to Neumann University on Monday at The Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The Bears fall to 1-3 on the season while the Knights improve to 2-2.

Neumann scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a 6-6 tie and tacked on a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh.

Bridgwater pushed across a pair of unearned runs in the top of the second on back-to-back sacrifice flies by DJ Prampin (Worcester, Mass.) and Mathew Pigeon (Canton, Mass.) to take an early 2-0 lead.

A two-run double off the bat of Benny Licata knotted the game at 2-2 in the home half of the second.

The Bears regained the lead in the top of the third inning as Cam James (Ipswich, Mass.) reached on a throwing error, moved to second on a passed ball and came around to score when Riley Thornell (Wareham, Mass.) reached on a dropped pop up.

Andrew Curran belted a three-run homer to highlight a four-run third inning for the Knights.

Trailing 6-3, Bridgewater capitalized on a key throwing error to push across three runs and tie up the game in the top of the fourth. Consecutive base hits by Ryan Flaherty (Duxbury, Mass.), Prampin and Pigeon loaded the bases with nobody out. Kevin Lindsay (East Bridgewater, Mass.) then lined out to third, but the throw to first, in an attempt to double up Pigeon, sailed past the first baseman allowing both Flaherty and Prampin to score. Pigeon, who advanced to third on the play, trotted home on a sacrifice fly by Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.).

A BSU throwing error led to three unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth. Brandon Colon put the Knights up for good with a sacrifice fly and Joe Boccio followed with a two-run single to make it a 9-6 game.

Isaiah Payton smacked an RBI double in the sixth and connected for a two-run triple in the seventh to account for the final tally of 12-6.

Payton went 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs and three RBI to lead the Neumann 12-hit attack. Boccio (3-4, BB, 2R, 2RBI) also recorded three hits for the Knights while Marcus White was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, two walks and three runs scored.

Prampin and Danny Jasmin (East Meadow, N.Y.) combined to reach safely three times in the #7 spot in the lineup for Bridgewater State. Prampin singled, scored a run and drove in one with a sacrifice fly while Jasmin walked twice in two trips to the plate. Kyle Suraci (Clinton, Conn.) went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run.

Aiden Jackson worked the first five innings to pick up the win on the mound for the Knights. Jackson (1-0) gave up six runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Vic Mejia hurled three scoreless innings of relief while Joe Long worked a 1-2-3 ninth. Mejia allowed just a hit and walk with two strikeouts.

Four BSU pitchers combined to give up 12 runs (seven earned) on 12 hits over eight innings with ten walks and 11 strikeouts.

The Bears are back in action on Tuesday afternoon at Myrtle Beach as they take in Rivier University at noon.