Spartanburg, S.C. – Matt Albanese had three hits and drove in four runs as the Bryant Bulldogs defeated USC Upstate 13-2 Friday night in the first game of a three-game series at Harley Park.

The Spartans fall to 4-6 on the season while the Bulldogs improve to 1-3.

Craig Schlitter (1-1) started on the mound for Bryant and earned the win tossing six innings while allowing two run on five hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Zach Mitchell (0-1) took the loss for Upstate giving up three runs (none earned) on two hits, two walks and two strikeouts in three innings of work. Vaughn Hayward (1) picked up the save tossing three scoreless innings of relief.

Daniel Fickas got the Spartans on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second with his RBI single down the right field line plating Zach Krider. Krider led off the inning with a double and scored on the base hit by Fickas the next at-bat.

The Bulldogs answered with three runs in the top of the third highlighted by a two-RBI double by Brandon Bingel. Albanese started the scoring as his sacrifice fly to left field drove in Jonathan Scott, who led off the inning by reaching on an Upstate error. Scott advanced to second on the error and later moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Carl Anderson.

Schlitter retired 11 Spartan hitters in a row from the third inning until the sixth as Bryant broke the game open with seven runs during that stretch to lead 10-1. The Bulldogs scored six runs in the fifth inning as Daniel St. George began things with a two-run double. Bryant also received RBIs in the sixth from Anderson and Dan Cellucci, and Albanese capped the frame with a two-RBI single to right field. Anderson also had an RBI groundout in the fifth.

Luke Weber made it a 10-2 game in the bottom of the sixth after his RBI single scored Erik Samples from second base. Samples recorded a two-out double prior to the hit by Weber.

The Bulldogs responded with three runs in the seventh and eighth innings to increase their lead to 13-2. Bryant posted two runs in the seventh on RBIs from Scott and Albanese, and added a run in the eighth on Scott's sacrifice fly.

Albanese led Bryant offensively while Anderson, St. George and Cellucci had two hits each. The Bulldogs also received two RBI from Anderson, Bingel, St. George and Scott.

Krider had a team-high two hits for Upstate, and Weber and Fickas collected one RBI each.

The Spartans resume their series with Bryant on Saturday with game two slated for a 1 p.m. start.

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