Smithfield, R.I. (April 18) -- On Friday afternoon, the Assumption College baseball team picked up a split with Saint Michael's College in a Northeast-10 divisional doubleheader. The Hounds took a 13-5 win in game one, while the Purple Knights prevailed 4-1 in the second game. The games were played at Conaty Park at Bryant University.
In game one, the Purple Knights jumped out to an early 5-0 lead heading to the bottom of the fourth inning, beginning with a Michael Dougherty run in the first as he scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Alec Tice. In the third, the visitors added three runs behind a two-RBI single thru the left side by Matt Feeney, along with a sacrifice fly to center by Nick Nelson that scored Tice with an unearned run and the 4-0 lead. Saint Michael's added another run in the fifth as Feeney was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Tyler Wild and stake the Purple Knights to the 5-0 edge.
From that point on, the Hounds seized control of the game, beginning with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to get on the board. Sophomore Colin Clancy (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford) drew a one-out walk to get on base in the fourth, followed by a two-run homer to right by junior Billy Johnson (Auburn, Mass./Holy Name) to cut the lead to 5-2. Assumption tied things up in the bottom of the sixth with the first of back-to-back three-run innings as the Hounds overall scored 11 runs over a three-inning span. After a leadoff single to right center by Clancy and a walk by Johnson, Will Corkum came on in relief for the Purple Knights. Clancy came home first with an unearned run, followed by a two-RBI single to right center by sophomore catcher Tom Paine (Upton, Mass./Nipmuc) for the 5-5 score.
A two-RBI double down the left field line by junior Greg O'Donnell (Northbridge, Mass./Northbridge) put the Hounds up 7-5 in the seventh, followed by a sacrifice fly by freshman Jake Byrne (Grafton, Mass./Saint John's) for the 8-5 edge thru seven. Assumption added a five-run bottom of the eighth inning, led by a two-RBI triple by Johnson that scored Clancy and senior Bret Clark (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Central) as the Hounds registered six hits total in the inning.
Five Hounds had two hits each in the game-one victory, while O'Donnell picked up three runs batted in and Johnson had a four-RBI showing. Overall, the top four Assumption hitters combined for seven hits and eight runs batted in in the eight-run victory.
Junior Zack LaRosa (West Hartford, Conn./Conard) got the start for the Hounds, going the first four innings. Freshman Tom Brengel (Hicksville, N.Y./Holy Trinity) went the final five innings for the win, allowing just two hits with three walks and two strikeouts to improve to 1-0 on the season. Corey Livingston, the middle pitcher of three Saint Michael's relievers, allowed four runs with two earned in one inning of play as he fell to 0-1 with the loss.
In game two, the Purple Knights jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on RBI hits by Feeney and Chris Puliafico before Assumption answered with a single run in the second to cut the lead in half. Paine drove in O'Donnell, who had reached on a leadoff double to right center, with Assumption's lone run of the game as the Purple Knights earned the doubleheader split. Saint Michael's wrapped up the game with single runs in the fifth and seventh innings to preserve the win.
Dougherty posted a 3-for-5 showing in game two, along with three other Saint Michael's players with two hits. O'Donnell paced the Hounds with a 4-for-4 game, along with two hits each by Paine and freshman first baseman Mike Coggeshall (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury).
Sophomore Anthony Perry (Shrewsbury, Mass./Saint John's) took the loss for the Hounds as he went seven innings while scattering 11 hits with four runs allowed and six strikeouts, while Alex Winkelmann went the distance allowing eight hits with eight strikeouts in the win. Perry falls to 1-3 overall, while Winkelmann is now 2-1 on the season.
With the split, Assumption sits at 13-15 overall and 4-6 in divisional play, while Saint Michael's is 3-17 overall and 1-8 in the division.
Assumption is back in action on Saturday, April 19th as the Hounds host No. 26 Franklin Pierce University for a doubleheader beginning at Noon at Rocheleau Field. The games will complete the three-game divisional series with the Ravens. The teams have met twice this season thus far, including a 7-2 road win for Assumption on Thursday evening in Rindge.
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