Bryant Beats Baseball, 7-4

SAN DIEGO -- Behind seven runs in the first five innings, Bryant posted a 7-4 win over No. 22 Kentucky to conclude the Tony Gwynn Classic, on a sunny Sunday afternoon at San Diego’s Fowler Park.

Kentucky (3-3) fell behind early as Bryant score a single run in the first, two in the third, one in the fourth and got a three-run homer in the fifth for a 7-1 lead. UK rallied with a two-run inning in the sixth but Bryant turned key inning-ending double plays to thwart UK’s offensive attack in the sixth and seventh innings.  

Kentucky was limited to nine hits in the game, getting a triple and two hits from shortstop Riley Mahan, and doubles from JaVon Shelby and Evan White. Storm Wilson, Gunnar McNeill, Tristan Pompey and Zach Arnold each added hits.

UK starter Kyle Cody (1-1) worked 3.1 innings in his 30th career start, allowing six hits and four runs – three earned – walking one and striking out three. Lefty Logan Salow took over with runners on the corners and one out in the fourth inning. Salow got a pop up and a fielder’s choice to escape the jam, working 1.2 innings, allowing three hits and three runs, walking two and striking out two.

 Zach Strecker replaced Salow, working two shutout innings, allowing a hit and a walk, striking out two. Sophomore southpaw Zach Logue took over to start the eighth, working around a hit.

Bryant (6-1) starter James Davitt (1-0) worked into the sixth inning, allowing just five hits and two runs, not issuing a walk and striking out seven. Freshman lefty Steve Theetge worked shutout innings in the sixth and seventh. Logan Lessard worked the ninth for the save, his third of the year.

Kentucky will return to action on Wednesday, hosting Austin Peay in the home opened at 4 p.m. ET at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

Bryant started the scoring in the bottom of the first, plating one run on four hits. Cole Fabio led off with a single, taking second on a groundout. Robby Rinn then singled to centerfield to score Fabio.

Kentucky evened up the game in the top of the third inning, starting with a leadoff triple from Mahan, his second of the year. Zach Arnold then chopped a grounder to third, with Mahan beating the throw to the plate for the first run of the year.

The Bulldogs rallied in the third inning, as Matt Albanese drew a leadoff walk and Rinn was plunked by a pitch. After a wild pitch moved the runners into scoring position, Cody got a strikeout for the first out. Brandon Bingel then singled up the middle on a 3-0 offering, scoring the pair for a 3-1 lead.

Bryant opened the fourth inning with a leadoff single from Nick Angelini, who took third on a misfired throw on a sacrifice bunt, with Dan Cellucci taking first on the throw. Cody then got a grounder to Shelby, who held Angelini at third for the first out, with Cellucci taking second. A strikeout, wild pitch allowed Angelini to score and push runners on the corners with one out.

The Bulldogs scored three runs in the fifth on Angelini’s three-run homer off the leftfield foul pole.

Kentucky chased Davitt in the sixth inning, as Arnold singled to third base to open the inning, and he was replaced by senior left-handed reliever Dylan Dwyer to pinch run. Wilson then singled through the right side and White followed with an RBI double down the rightfield line, scoring Dwyer and putting a pair of runners in scoring position. After a pop out, Pompey drilled a two-strike single into centerfield to score Wilson.