Baseball Falls to No. 15 Molloy in Season Opener, 8-6

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – In the first game of a season-opening trip to the Carolinas, the University of Bridgeport's baseball team dropped an 8-6 contest to 15^th-ranked Molloy on Friday.

Down 5-0 after three innings, the Purple Knights nearly pulled off a sensational comeback.

It was an RBI triple from Jeremy Rodrigues in the fourth inning that sparked things for UB. Senior Angel Irby scored on the play after reaching on a fielder's choice.

Rodrigues struck again in the sixth when he hammered a solo home run to cut the deficit to 5-3. Incidentally, Justin Leigh also launched a solo shot in the sixth inning to put Bridgeport's second run on the board.

Leigh provided the Purple Knights with another tally in the seventh courtesy of a sac fly that scored freshman Patrick Krempasky. Krempasky led off the inning with a double.

Bridgeport's final two runs were unearned as Molloy finished the game with four errors.

Down 8-6 in the ninth, the Purple Knights were able to put a pair of runners on but that is where the game would end.

In addition to the stellar performers mentioned above, senior Jacob Rich finished the game 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.

Sophomore Matt Wild served as UB's most effective pitcher on Friday. The Long Island lefty came out of the bullpen to compile 2.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

Tyler Hodella, meanwhile, recorded 1.1 scoreless frames out the bullpen as well.

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The Purple Knights will play a doubleheader against Bentley University tomorrow, beginning at 10 a.m.