Bryant downs No. 12 East Carolina in 10 innings

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Bryant University baseball team scored two in the eighth to tie the game and then scored twice in the top of the 10th to earn a 5-4 victory over No. 12 East Carolina on Saturday afternoon at Clark LeClair Stadium.

With the win, the Bulldogs posted a series victory over a ranked opponent for the first time in DI program history. It is the first time in school history that the Black and Gold have won back-to-back games against ranked opponents.

Trailing 3-1 in the eighth on Saturday, Matt Woods scored Logan Allen with a triple and then scampered home on a wild pitch to tie things up. In the 10th, Damaurys Rodriguez scored on a throwing error with two outs and Derek Smith added a key insurance run with a double to the gap in right center.

Woods finished a home run shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 from the leadoff spot. Allen had two hits and scored twice as the No. 9 hitter and Rodriguez had two hits and reached safely three times.

Jared Burrows turned in Bryant's second-straight solid start, tossing 5.0 innings of one-run ball. He didn't walk a batter, struck out five and allowed just three hits. Coleman Picard earned the victory with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. M.T. Morrissey recorded the final three outs for his first-career save.

Game Information
Bryant 5, No. 12 East Carolina 4
Records: Bryant 2-0, ECU 0-2
Location: Clark LeClair Stadium (Greenville, N.C.)
W|L|S: Coleman Picard (1-0) | S. Brooks (0-1) | M.T. Morrissey (1)

Key Moment

• Tied 3-3 in the 10th, the Pirate shortstop committed a throwing error with two outs, allowing the lead run to score.               

How it Happened

• ECU scored in the first on Saturday, getting an RBI single from Alec Makarewicz.
• Bryant was able to tie the game in the third. Allen and Woods collected back-to-back singles and a two-out throwing error plated Allen with the tying run.
• The Pirates grabbed a 3-1 lead with runs in the sixth and seventh. A sac fly broke the tie in the sixth and an RBI single made it 3-1 in the seventh.
• Bryant answered back, tying the game in the next half inning. Allen worked a walk to start the inning and Woods followed with a sharp ground ball inside the first base bag. Allen raced around from first and Woods dove headfirst into third with an RBI triple. He was still there with two outs but was able to score on a wild pitch to tie the game.
• In the ninth, ECU appeared to win the game on a home run but the first base umpire called timeout prior to the pitch.
• Bryant was able to break the deadlock in extra innings. Woods doubled down the right field line with one out but was thrown out trying to score on a Rodriguez single to center. Rodriguez, however, took second on the throw home and scored on a throwing error. Smith followed with an RBI double to right center.
• ECU picked up a solo home run in the bottom of the tenth but Morrissey struck out back-to-back batters to strand the tying run on base.

Stats

• Bryant outhit ECU, 8-7.
• The Bulldogs made four errors, while ECU made two.
• Burrows allowed one run on three hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out five over 5.0 innings.
• Christian Allegretti struck out three in an inning of relief.
• Picard retired seven of the eight batters he faced in 2.1 scoreless innings of relief.
• Morrissey allowed a run but struck out two in the 10th.
• Woods went 3-for-5 with a double, triple, RBI and run scored.
• Rodriguez had two hits, including a double, and scored a run.
• Smith doubled and drove in a run.
• Allen went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Game Notes

• Bryant won a series against a ranked opponent for the first time in DI program history.
• The Bulldogs won back-to-back games against a ranked opponent for the first time in school history.
• Smith has now reached safely in 11-straight games dating back to last year.
• Woods has reached safely in 10-straight dating back to last year.
• Woods posted the second three-hit game of his career and his 16th multi-hit game.
• Burrows notched a career-high in innings pitched. His previous high was 2.0 innings.   

Up Next
Bryant and East Carolina wrap up their series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m.