Boxscore

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Junior starting pitcher Justin Cox (Newburgh, N.Y.) fired six shutout innings and struck out seven on Thursday afternoon to lead the Southern Connecticut State University baseball team to a 1-0 road victory over No. 25/NR nationally-ranked Bryant in Northeast-10 Conference play at Bryant Baseball Complex. Freshman catcher Nick DeProspo (Worcester, Mass.) drove home the only run of the game for SCSU. With the victory, SCSU improves to 19-15 (9-6 NE-10), while Bryant falls to 27-14 (15-5 NE-10) with the loss.

The Owls got the only run of the ballgame in the top of the fifth inning. Senior designated hitter Anthony Fiorillo (New Haven, Conn.) led off with a single to left field. Junior first baseman Mo Davidson (Winsted, Conn.) followed with a fielder's choice grounder back to the pitcher which saw Fiorillo erased at second. After a walk to senior left fielder Billy Hite (Shelton, Conn.), DeProspo came through with a single to center field to drive home Davidson and give SCSU a 1-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Cox worked into and out of trouble all afternoon, as Bryant left 10 men on base over the right-hander's six innings on the hill. Cox pulled his biggest escape in the sixth when he induced a ground ball from Bryant third baseman Jason Alexander to work his way out of a bases loaded situation and preserve the 1-0 lead.

Cox started and threw six shutout innings to pick up the win (3-3) on the hill for the Owls. He gave up five hits, two walks, hit a batter and struck out seven. Junior Mike Connors (Wallingford, Conn.) threw a scoreless final three innings, allowed one hit, walked one and struck out one to notch his third save of the season.

Brett Almeida went the distance on the rubber and took the loss (2-3) for Bryant. He gave up one run on five hits, walked three and struck out six.

The Owls return to action on Friday, April 18, when they travel to Assumption for a Northeast-10 contest. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Rocheleau Field in Worcester, Mass.