Baseball Splits Home-Opening Doubleheader

Sunday, March 20

Providence, R.I.

11:30 AM

Brown University

3-8

Holy Cross

3-17

Holy Cross

Brown

Photo by: David Silverman Photography

3/20/2022 6:54:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Playing on their home field for the first time since May 2019, Brown baseball split a Sunday doubleheader with Holy Cross and Northeastern, topping Holy Cross 9-4 in the opener, before dropping the nightcap 8-2 to the Huskies. A six-run rally in the late innings proved to be the difference for the winner of each game.

Ryan Marra and Reece Rappoli each went 3-for-8 with a double over the two games, with Marra crushing a solo home run in game two. Nathan Brasher had four RBIs in the opener, including a big three-run homer to blow the game open in the eighth inning.

On the mound, Bobby Olsen allowed just one earned run on four hits while striking out seven over 6.0 innings of work in game one. Paxton Meyers earned the win in relief while firing 2.1 shutout innings and allowing just one hit.

Tobey McDonough got the start in game two and surrendered just one run on two hits with six strikeouts in 6.0 strong innings of work, earning a no-decision.

GAME ONE

With the game scoreless in the fifth inning, Jared Johnson walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch then came around to score on a smash up the middle by Ray Sass that ricocheted off the second base bag and into center field to score to put Brown up 1-0.
Up next, Brasher crushed an 0-2 pitch off the top of the left-center field wall to score Sass from second and make it a 2-0 game.
The Crusaders got one run back in the sixth inning, but Brown came back with a run of its own in the last of the sixth thanks to an RBI double into the right field corner by Gunner Boree.
Holy Cross then jumped in front with three runs in the top of the seventh, tagging Brown's bullpen with four hits.
Brown broke out the rally caps in the eighth inning, plating six runs on five hits, starting with a game-tying single on the first career hit and RBI for Johnson. After two runs scored on a throwing error, Brasher stepped to the plate and launched his first career home run over the wall in left-center to make it a 9-4 ballgame.

GAME TWO

The Bears wasted no time jumping on the board in game two as Marra turned on a 2-1 fastball and crushed a no-doubter over the right centerfield fence to give Brown the 1-0 lead in the first inning.
McDonough struck out five while needing just 35 pitches to get through the first four innings. He retired eight in a row at one point before allowing an infield hit in the fifth, and later allowed one run in the sixth after a leadoff walk and a double.
The Huskies plated six runs on five hits in the seventh to help put the game out of reach, using a three-run homer and taking advantage of a Brown error to score two unearned runs and hold a 7-1 lead.
The Bears got one run back in the seventh on a single by Jackson Hipp, who knocked in Rappoli after a leadoff double.

QUOTES FROM THE COACH: GRANT ACHILLES

"It was such a feeling to be out on this field and be in the home whites. It was great to be at home in front of a good crowd and good weather. It's been a long time coming."
"We talk a lot about putting pressure on the opposing pitcher, and I think we got to a point later in the first game where we got a lot more comfortable and started seeing better at bats later in game one, and that key error put us in a position to capitalize, which we did and were able to keep pouring it on."
"Bobby was great. He commanded the baseball, kept hitters off balance and attacked the entire time. If he keeps pitching like that, he's going to be a tough matchup for anyone in our league."

ON DECK
The Bears will open up Ivy League play next weekend with a three-game trip to Dartmouth, starting with a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch is set for 11:30 a.m. on ESPN+.

Gallery: (3-20-2022) BASE_vsHolyCross (3/20/22)

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