Ward enjoying prolific season as Bulldogs enter NEC Tournament

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Ryan Ward (Millbury, Mass.) walked into breakfast at the DoubleTree Suites in Tucson, Arizona, on February 17 with a big smile on his face.

He walked up to Bryant University baseball head coach Steve Owens and informed him that he'd get to play baseball for the first time in 348 days that night against Arizona.

For it had been 11 months since Ward's promising true freshman season was cut short by a broken wrist suffered diving for a ball in the 10th game of the year at Liberty. Instead of competing for a Northeast Conference title with his teammates, Ward spent the rest of the spring rehabbing his wrist and preparing for this year.

"Last year was a very tough and long year for me, having to watch almost the entire season and not be able to do anything," Ward said. "Stepping back onto the field for the first time in Arizona was incredible. The butterflies came flying back into my stomach and I couldn't stop smiling. I have never been more excited for anything in my life than to be back on the field with all my teammates ready to help win a championship."

When he finally stepped to the plate that night at Arizona, Ward took a first-pitch ball before singling to deep short. He would finish the game 2-for-4, adding a single in his final at-bat.

What has followed has been one of the most remarkable seasons for a hitter in program history. Ward enters the Northeast Conference Tournament leading the nation in hits (95) and hits per game (1.79) as a freshman. He's also added 21 doubles, five triples, and eight home runs, ranking sixth nationally with a program-record 150 total bases. In addition, Ward has only struck out 10 times all season, or once every 23.3 at-bats, the fifth-best ratio in the country.

Ward wrapped up the NEC batting title last Friday, collecting three more hits to finish the year at .408. He also became the first player in the NEC to finish the regular season with a batting average over .400 since the 2011 season.

"At the beginning of the year, I worked with Kyle [Pettoruto] on many different things mechanics-wise to see what would work and what wouldn't," Ward said. "We toyed with it all fall and it finally clicked in the winter and I was able to get comfortable with my swing and start to focus on my approach. Moving to the leadoff spot helped me greatly with my approach because I have always been an ambush-type of hitter. I worked on my swing so long with Kyle and the other coaches that when it came to game time it just happened."

Included in this memorable season is a 30-game hitting streak and a 40-game on-base streak that are two of the longest streaks in the country. Ward's 30-gamer is the fourth-longest streak, while he's one of just 24 players nationally to record an on-base streak of at least 40 games.

Ward was able to accomplish all of this while playing multiple positions defensively as the Bulldogs battled injuries all year. He opened the year as the starting left fielder but took over the starting role at second base during Bryant's series at Delaware. Ward's started all 53 games this year, playing 21 at second, 24 in left and eight in center. He's made just one error in 65 chances as a second baseman.  

Now, Ward gets to do something he so badly wanted to last year, compete in the NEC Tournament. His prolific hitting helped the Black and Gold win their seventh-straight regular-season title last week and earn the No. 1 seed in the tournament.

"Playing in the NEC Tournament this year with my team is a dream come true," Ward said. "After last year's tough ending we vowed as a team to come back better than ever. I am glad to get to be a part of this. Even more so, I'm glad to get to be a part of this last ride with all the seniors, especially Mickey Gasper who has helped me more than I can even say throughout not only this year but last year. I am incredibly proud to be a Bryant Bulldog and to be side-by-side with all these guys on our team. It may be playoff time, but our season is far from done."