Baseball visits Hartford this afternoon

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University baseball team travels to the University of Hartford this afternoon for a midweek contest with the Hawks. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

Today's game between Bryant and Hartford was originally scheduled to be played on Wednesday in Smithfield but was moved due to field conditions and impending weather.

The Particulars

Opponent: Hartford

Location: Fiondella Field (West Hartford, Conn.)

Time: 3:00 p.m.

Live Stats: BryantBulldogs.com

Game Notes: Bryant | Hartford

Pitching Probables

Matthew Stansky (1-0, 1.80) vs. TBD

Freshman Matthew Stansky (Douglas, Mass.) will make his first-career start this afternoon against Hartford. Stansky has made six appearances out of the bullpen over the first five weeks of the season, allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits in five innings. Stansky has walked five and struck out three.

Stansky made his first-career appearance at Arizona and tossed two scoreless innings of relief. Two weeks later, he tossed two scoreless innings of relief against Boston College and earned the win as the Bulldogs walked off in the bottom of the ninth.

Series History

• Bryant and Hartford will be meeting for the ninth time this afternoon.
• The Bulldogs hold a 5-3 lead in the all-time series but the Hawks have won each of the last three meetings.
• Last season, Bryant scored three runs in the top of the ninth to tie the game before Hartford walked off with a win in the bottom of the inning.

Bulldog Notes and Notables

• The Black and Gold are coming a series victory over defending CAA champ Delaware this past weekend. Bryant won three-of-four to finish its spring break trip with a 4-3 record.
• Bryant also became the first time since 2016 to win a weekend series at Delaware.
• The Black and Gold hit .336 on their spring break trip, raising their season average to .299.
• Redshirt freshman Ryan Ward (Millbury, Mass.) was named Northeast Conference Co-Rookie of the Week on Monday after going 7-for-17 with a triple, a grand slam and six RBI against Delaware.
• Ward was one of five regulars that hit over .333 during spring break. Sophomore James Ciliento (Mahwah, N.J.) hit .467, senior Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) hit .414, freshman Shane Kelly (Sewell, N.J.) hit .393 and sophomore Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) hit .385.
• Ward is also one of three players that brings a double-digit on-base streak into Tuesday's game. He has reached safely in a career-high 12 games, while Ciliento and Gasper have both reached safely in 10 straight.
• The junior duo Nathan Wrighter (Windsor, N.Y.) and Craig Lacey (Westfield, Mass.) have combined to toss 9 1/3 scoreless innings over their last six combined appearances. Wrighter has struck out six in 4 1/3, while Lacey picked up his first win of the year with three scoreless at Delaware on Sunday.

Scouting the Hawks

• Hartford enters Tuesday's game with a 2-13 record on the year. The Hawks played Northeastern on Monday, falling 3-1.
• The Hawks have played two ranked opponents this season, No. 17 South Alabama and then-No. 2 Oregon State.
• Hartford is hitting .231 as a team and has a team ERA of 6.23.
• Nick Campana leads the team with a .429 average, five doubles, nine RBI, 10 runs scored and six stolen bases.