Bryant drops home opener to Stonehill, 5-3

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University baseball team dropped its home opener, 5-3, to Stonehill on Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday's opener marked the earliest home in program history. Bryant is now 1-4 following the loss and will travel to Maryland for three games with the Terrapins this weekend.

Stonehill used single runs in five separate innings and three double plays to deny the Bulldogs a win on Opening Day.

Gavin Noriega hit his fifth home run of the season and Gavin Greger doubled twice for the Bulldogs. Bryant used eight different pitchers in the contest.     

Game Information
Stonehill 5, Bryant 3
Records: Bryant 1-4 | Stonehill 2-2
Location: Conaty Park (Smithfield, R.I.)
W|L|S: Jimmy Gilleran (1-0) | Jared Burrows (0-2) | Joe Castrichini (1)

Key Moments

• The Skyhawks turned double plays in the second, fourth and fifth innings to keep the Bulldogs at bay. The double play in the fourth came with the bases loaded.

How it Happened

• Stonehill and Bryant traded runs in the first. The Skyhawks scored on a single to left, while Noriega hit an opposite field home run in the bottom half for Bryant.
• The Skyhawks then added single runs in the third and fourth to make it 3-1.
• Bryant looked to answer in the fourth, loading the bases with one out before a 5-4-3 double play ended the rally.
• Stonehill would push the lead to 4-1 before Bryant was able to mount a rally in the eighth.
• Greger doubled off the top of the wall in left center to start things and came around to score on a fielder's choice ground ball from Shea Grady. Matt Smith followed with an infield single to make it 4-3.
• Stonehill was able to add an insurance run in the ninth and then stranded Greger on third in the bottom of the inning to seal the win.   

Inside the Box Score

• The two teams each finished with nine hits.
• Liam LeVangie, M.T. Morrissey, Jared Burrows and Colin Brodeur all opened the game with an 1.0 on the mound.
• Mark Scamardella tossed 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, while Toby Scheidt added 2.0 scoreless and four strikeouts.  
• Noriega had two hits, including his fifth home run of the year.
• Greger batted leadoff for the first time and finished with a pair of doubles and a walk.
• Grady collected two hits for the Bulldogs.

Game Notes

• Bryant and Stonehill have now split two meetings at the DI level.
• Tuesday marked Bryant's earliest home opener in program history.
• It also marked Bryant's first game on its new artificial surface installed in the summer of 2023.
• Noriega has now homered five times in the first five games of the season.
• Greger posted his third multi-hit game of the young season.

Up Next
Bryant heads to College Park, Md., this weekend for a three-game set with Maryland. The series begins Friday at 4:00 p.m.