Daley hits first-career home run to ignite offense in 8-2 win over UMass

STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Senior Malik Daley (Northborough, Mass.) hit his first-career home run and redshirt freshman Ryan Ward (Millbury, Mass.) broke the program record for freshman hits as the Bryant University baseball team defeated Massachusetts, 8-2, on Saturday afternoon at Joe Nathan Field.

Daley's home run carried the left field wall and was his first in 133 career at-bats. Ward, meanwhile, continued his remarkable season with four more hits, setting a Division I program record for freshman with 85 base knocks. He also broke the DI program record for total bases with 140.

The offensive outburst was welcomed addition as the weekend pitching staff continued its strong performance. Freshman Tyler Mattison (Fort Ann, N.Y.) struck out five over three innings, while sophomore Vito Morgese (Warwick, N.Y.) struck out a career-high nine over six scoreless innings of relief.

Game Information

Bryant 8, UMass 2

Records: Bryant (27-18-1), UMass (14-23)

Location: Joe Nathan Field (Stony Brook, N.Y.)

W|L|S: Vito Morgese (5-1) | Sean Harney (2-1)

Key Moments

• UMass scored twice in the top of the first but it was short lived. Senior Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) worked a two-out walk and sophomore Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) followed with a liner over the right field wall to tie the game.
• After Bryant scored four runs in the second, UMass loaded the bases with one out the following inning. Mattison bore down and struck out the next two batters on 3-2 counts to end the threat.  

How it happened

• UMass jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. A walk and two passed balls put the leadoff runner at third and Eddy Hart scored the first run with a double. Marcus Fry followed with a double of his own to make it 2-0.
• In the bottom of the first Gasper walked with two outs to extend the inning. Wright then turned on a 1-0 fastball and laced it over the right field wall to tie the game.
• The Black and Gold then took the lead with four runs in the second. Daley opened the inning by lofting a fly ball over the left field wall for his first-career dinger. A walk, a single and a sac bunt put more runners in scoring position and Ward scored both with a single back up the middle. Junior Tyler Panno (Rivervale, N.J.) followed with a double into the right field corner, scoring Ward from first.
• Bryant then extended its lead with single runs in the fourth and sixth. In the fourth, redshirt junior Nolan Hayward (Glendale, R.I.), sophomore Bryan Hart (Franklin, Mass.) and Ward opened the inning with three-straight singles. Panno then scored a run as he beat out a double play ball.
• In the sixth, Ward picked up his third hit of the game, Panno moved him to third with a single and a passed ball brought him home.

Stats

• Bryant erupted for 15 hits in the contest. It had been held to single digits in each of the previous five games.
• Mattison pitched the first three innings, allowing two runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out five.
• Morgese set a career-high with nine strikeouts over six innings of scoreless relief. He allowed just one hit, a two-out single in the ninth.
• Ward finished 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
• Panno posted two hits, including a double, and drove in two.
• Owens posted two hits and walked.
• Daley finished 2-for-4 with a home run.
• Hayward finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
• Wright homered and drove in two runs.
• Six different players contributed hits for UMass.  

Game Notes

• Saturday was the first game between Bryant and UMass.
• A day after seeing his 30-game hitting streak snapped, Ward posted his fifth four-hit game and his 25th multi-hit game of the year.
• Ward now has 85 hits on the season, the most by a freshman in DI program history, and two shy of tying the DI program record.
• Ward broke the single season record of total bases with 140. The previous record of 138 was set by Robby Rinn in 2016.
• Panno posted multiple hits for the 15th time this year. He has multiple hits in four of his last five games.
• Gasper has now reached safely in a career-high 24-straight games.
• Wright hit his fifth home run of the year.
• Daley posted two hits for the second time this season.
• Hayward registered his first multi-hit game of the year.
• Morgese tossed a career-high six innings of relief and struck out a career-high nine batters.

Up Next

Bryant wraps up the weekend on Sunday morning against Stony Brook. First pitch is at 11:00 a.m.