Bulldogs host Hartford in home opener Wednesday at Conaty Park

GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University baseball team will open its home schedule on Wednesday afternoon when it welcomes the University of Hartford to Conaty Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

The Bulldogs (14-4) are off to their best start in program history and are ranked No. 1 in New England in the first NEIBA poll of the season. The Hawks (10-5) are also off to a hot start this year and are ranked fourth in New England.

Wednesday's meeting will be the seventh meeting between the two programs, with Bryant holding a 5-1 lead in the all-time series. The Bulldogs swept a doubleheader in Hartford and the Hawks posted a 9-0 shutout in Smithfield last season.

Bryant comes into the home opener on a five-game winning streak and has won each of its last three home openers. The Bulldogs performed well on their spring break trip, going 6-2 with a .290 team average and a 3.14 team ERA. Senior Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) and junior Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.) continue to be the catalysts for the Black and Gold and enter the game on individual hot streaks. Rinn has reached base safely in 14-straight contests, posting 11 multi-hit games during that span. Albanese has hit safely in nine-straight games and is the reigning Northeast Conference and NEIBA Player of the Week.

The Black and Gold will give the ball to redshirt junior Garrison Banas (Hadley, Mass.) on Wednesday for his first-career start. Banas has made 20 relief appearances in his career and is 1-0 with a 4.70 ERA in 7 2/3 innings this spring. He has walked four and struck out five.

Hartford has enjoyed a strong start to its season with four of its five losses coming by three runs or less. The Hawks played UC Santa Barbara close two weekends ago, falling 7-4, 2-1 and 7-6. The Gauchos beat the Bulldogs 16-2 in the Tony Gwynn Classic. The Hawks are hitting .263 as a team and have posted a 3.96 ERA. Erik Ostberg leads the team with a .404 average, David MacKinnon has five doubles and 14 runs scored and Ben Bengston leads the team with 10 RBI.

Freshman righty John Mormile will start for the Hawks on Wednesday and brings a 3.00 ERA into the contest. He has allowed two runs on two hits, walked three and struck out six over six innings. Mormile allowed one run on two hits in two innings of relief at UCSB before tossing two perfect innings of relief against Manhattan.

Wednesday's game will be broadcast live and free of charge on NECFrontRow.com.