David Silverman Photography
David Silverman Photography
Posted: May 23, 2021

Bulldogs close regular season, get ready for NEC Tournament

SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- The Bryant University baseball team closed the 2021 regular season this week, finishing with a 25-12-1 overall record and a 21-4 record in Northeast Conference play.

Bryant will now head to Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Connecticut, for the 2021 NEC Baseball Championship from May 27-30. The Bulldogs will serve as the No. 1 seed after capturing their ninth-straight NEC Regular-Season title two weeks ago. Bryant will face No. 4 seed Long Island, while No. 2 seed Central Connecticut will face No. 3 seed Sacred Heart.

2021 Regular Season Notes and Notables

  • Bryant matched its fewest losses in league play, finishing 21-4. Bryant finished the year 2016 season with a 26-4 league mark. 
  • The Bulldogs won their ninth-straight NEC Regular Season title, the longest streak by any team, in any sport in NEC history. 
  • Bryant will serve as the No. 1 seed in the NEC Tournament for the eighth-straight year (every year since 2013).
  • Bryant outscored its NEC opponents, 227-84 on the year. 
  • The Bulldogs' pitching staff posted a 2.43 ERA in 25 league games. 
  • Liam McGill finished the regular season as the national leader in both batting average (.467) and OBP (.542). 
  • McGill also led the NEC in home runs (8) and RBI (44). 
  • Jake Gustin led the Bulldogs with 92 total bases, posting 12 doubles, two triples and six home runs. He scored a team-high 43 runs and struck out just 19 times in 154 at-bats.
  • McGill (33 games) and Gustin (28 games) both take long on-base streaks into the postseason. 
  • Tyler Mattison led the NEC with nine wins, going 9-3 with a 2.21 ERA. Mattison walked just 12 and struck out 86 in 73.1 innings.
  • In league play, Mattison went 8-1 with a 1.20 ERA. He walked nine and struck out 75 in 60.0 innings.
  • Vito Morgese also excelled in NEC play, posting a 4-1 record and a 1.85 ERA. He struck out 50 in 48.2 innings.
  • Kevin Gould also pitched well in league games, earning three saves while striking out 20 and walking just two in 13.0 innings.