Box Score
When and Where: February 23, 2020 – Myrtle Beach, S.C. (The Ripken Experience)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 8, University of Bridgeport 5
Records: SNHU 5-3, UB 2-2
Senior Tom Blandini (Bow, N.H.) and junior Dakota Mulcay (Goffstown, N.H.) both went deep for the second straight day, as the 23rd-ranked Southern New Hampshire University baseball team erased a five-run deficit to cap its Myrtle Beach trip with an 8-5 victory against the University of Bridgeport on Sunday at The Ripken Experience.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Blandini – 2-4, walk, home run, 2 RBI, run
- Mulcay – 2-3, RBI, run
- Graduate student Joshua Goldstein (Haverhill, Mass.) – 2-3, walk, double, RBI, 2 runs
- freshman Christian Mercedes (Providence, R.I.) – 1-3, triple, 3 RBI, run
- Freshman Michael LaRocca (Vero Beach, Fla.) – 1-3, 2 runs
- Freshman Felix B. Diaz Jr. (No. Brunswick, N.J.) – 1-3, walk
KEY MOMENTS
- After a two-out grand slam highlighted a five-run third for Bridgeport, Southern New Hampshire chipped away with a run in the home half, before scoring three times in the fifth - highlighted by Goldstein's RBI double and Mercedes' run-scoring triple - to pull within 5-4.
- Mulcay led off the sixth with a solo shot to center that tied the game, before a bases-loaded walk to Blandini put the Penmen in front for good. Mercedes' sacrifice fly capped the three-run frame to make it 7-5.
- Blandini added some insurance with an eighth-inning solo blast.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Redshirt-junior Nick Artymowicz (Seaville, N.J.) started and allowed five runs on four hits, while striking out five and walking a pair.
- Freshman Conner Wagstaff (Ellsworth, Maine) fired two-and-two-thirds innings of scoreless relief, giving up just two hits, while fanning a pair and walking a batter.
- Junior Jake Kodros (Matawan, N.J.) collected his first career Penmen victory with an inning-and-two-thirds of shutout work, giving up a hit, while striking out two and walking one.
- Sophomore Ricky Alexy (Needham, Mass.) collected his first save with an inning-and-two-thirds of perfect ball.
- Junior Sam Henrie (Middleboro, Mass.) went 1-for-4 at the plate and also made his debut on the mound, recording a strikeout and walking a pair in a third of an inning.
- Redshirt-junior Marcus Chavez (Queens, N.Y.) was 0-for-3, but drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk, while senior Jake Coro (Johnston, R.I.) also went 0-for-3, but walked a scored a run.
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire finishes the Myrtle Beach trip a perfect 5-0, while outscoring its opponents, 72-15.
- Blandini's home run was his second of the season and ninth of his career.
- Mulcay's long-ball was his second of the season and 12th of his career.
- Coro had his seven-game hitting streak snapped, while Mercedes and Blandini extended their respective hitting streaks to seven and six games.
- Artymowicz, who entered the day with 27 career appearances out of the bullpen, made his first start.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The Penmen kick off a four-game set at the New York Institute of Technology on Saturday, Feb. 29 with a doubleheader that begins at noon.
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