BOX SCORE

When and Where: February 26, 2017 – Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Ripken Experience)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 6, University of Bridgeport 5
Records: SNHU 4-1, Bridgeport 2-2

Redshirt-junior Ryan Sullivan (Hopkinton, Mass.) belted a pair of home runs, including a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning to help the sixth-ranked Southern New Hampshire University baseball team come from behind and beat the University of Bridgeport, 6-5, Sunday morning in the final tilt of its five-game trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Trailing, 5-2, entering the bottom of the eighth, the Penmen loaded the bases with no outs against Bridgeport starter, Dave Egeland, as junior Sean Webster (Boston, Mass.) reached on an error before junior Kyle Pangallo (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and graduate student Zach Goldstein (Merrick, N.Y.) earned walks. The Purple Knights then went to the bullpen for Adam Thayer, who promptly served up a moon shot that put Southern New Hampshire on top for the first time all day. 

Freshman Nick Artymowicz (Seaville, N.J.), who recorded the final out of the eighth inning, registered the first out of the ninth before surrendering a base hit to Tyler Gambardella and a double to Cam Overbaugh to put a pair in scoring position with one out. Artymowicz when struck out Daren Grabowski looking and induced a Ben Torres grounder to first to end it.

Sullivan finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and five RBI, while senior Cam Oliveira (Tewksbury, Mass.) had the only other Penmen hit as he went 1-for-2. Goldstein was on base twice with a pair of walks. Webster scored twice.

Bridgeport struck first in the top of the second against junior starter Rob Del Signore (Londonderry, N.H.) as Zach Burger launched a leadoff homer to make it 1-0. SNHU tied it in the home half when Sullivan crushed his first of the year to center to lead off the frame.

The Purple Knights went back in front in the third when Overbaugh walked, stole second, went to third on a Grabowski single and scored on Torres' grounder to second. Southern New Hampshire again evened it in the sixth when Webster drew a leadoff walk, swiped second, moved to third on Pangallo's groundout to third and scored when the first baseman's throw to try and get him at third was errant.

Bridgeport again answered in the seventh against the SNHU bullpen when Gambardella doubled off of redshirt-freshman Brendan Welch (Easton, Mass.) to score Mark Komarmi, who led off the inning with a single. The Purple Knights then added to their lead in the eighth as freshman Ryan Steffens (Commack, N.Y.), who recorded the final out of the seventh, tallied the first two outs of the eighth before walking Casey McCone. Redshirt-junior Andrew Lalonde (Bedford, N.H.) then entered and Burger took him deep for his second of the day to make it 5-2.

Del Signore allowed two runs on five hits, while striking out a pair and walking one, over five innings. Welch relinquished one run on two hits in an inning-and-two-thirds, striking out one. Steffens was charged with a run on a walk in one inning of work, while Lalonde gave up a run on a hit and did not retire either batter he faced. Artymowicz (1-0), who picked up his first career save in game one against Queens (N.Y.) College on Saturday, notched his first collegiate win with an inning-and-a-third of shutout ball, allowing two hits and striking out a batter.

Notes:
- Del Signore was making his first start since April 14, 2015.
- Goldstein had his 20-game hitting streak dating back to last season snapped.

Up Next:
The Penmen return to action Friday, March 3 (3 p.m.) when they take on Shippensburg University in the first of a four-game set.

For the latest on Southern New Hampshire University athletics, follow the Penmen via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and Instagram. Sign up to receive text message alerts and e-mail newsletters about your favorite Penmen teams here.