Bryant wins on walk-off wild pitch against Iona

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Gavin Greger scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth as the Bryant baseball team produced its second walk-off victory of the week, 4-3, on Friday against Iona at Conaty Park.

Bryant improves to 3-7 with the win. The Bulldogs and Gaels continue their series on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

The Black and Gold trailed 2-1 heading into the seventh inning but took a 3-2 lead on a two-out, two-run triple from Gavin Noriega. Iona then tied the game in the eighth and had a man on second with no outs in the ninth but Liam LeVangie pitched out of trouble.

In the bottom of the ninth, Greger singled, advanced to second a deep fly ball to left field, took third on a wild pitch and then scored as a 2-2 pitch with two outs skipped away from the catcher.  

Game Information
Bryant 4, Iona 3
Records: Bryant 3-7 | Iona 2-9
Location: Conaty Park (Smithfield, R.I.)
W|L|S: Liam LeVangie (1-1) | Hunt (0-1)

Key Moments

• LeVangie struck out back-to-back hitters before getting a ground out to strand a runner on second in the top of the ninth. Greger then worked his way around the bases in the bottom of the ninth as Bryant walked off.

How it Happened

• Iona struck in the first on a ground-rule double from Gray.
• Bryant was able to tie the game in the third as Carmine Petosa scored Lewis Barnum with a sac fly.
• A outfield error led to an Iona run in the fourth, making it 2-1.
• Bryant was finally able to take the lead in the seventh. Jackson Phinney blooped a single just out of the reach of the second baseman and Barnum was hit by a pitch. Both advanced on a sac bunt and scored as Noriega smashed a two-out triple inside the first base bag and into the right field corner.
• In the eighth, Ragsdale tripled off the top of the left field wall and scored on a safety squeeze.
• In the ninth, LeVangie struck out the first batter of the inning but the throw to first went into right field as Petosa lost it in the setting sun. LeVangie, however, struck out the next two batters before Shea Grady deftly fielded an in between hop at third for the final out.
• Greger then singled with out in the ninth and took second a deep fly to left. Two wild pitches then scored Greger with the winning run.

Inside the Box Score

• Iona outhit Bryant, 6-5.
• The Bulldogs committed two errors in the game.
• Greger finished with two hits and scored the winning run.
• Petosa walked twice and drove in a run.
• Noriega had a two-run triple and also walked twice.
• Barnum scored a pair of runs.
• Austin Wainer turned in his longest outing of the season, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits over 5.0 innings. He walked two and struck out nine.
• Sean Zaslaw allowed one run on two hits over 2.1 innings.
• LeVangie struck out four over 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.

Game Notes

• Petosa drew a pair of walks and now has 15 in the first 10 games of the year.
• The 5.0-inning start was the longest of Wainer's career.
• Wainer also set a career high with nine strikeouts.
• Noriega's triple was his first as a Bulldog.
• Noriega leads the team with 13 RBI.
• Zaslaw's outing was a career long.

Up Next
Bryant and Iona continue their series on Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.