Bryant rallies past URI behind Smith, Petosa

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Matt Smith's seventh-inning grand slam tied the game and Carmine Petosa's eighth-inning home run gave the Bulldogs the lead as the Bryant baseball team rallied for an 8-7 victory over in-state rival Rhode Island on Tuesday afternoon at Conaty Park.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 23-11 overall. Bryant is now 22-4 in its last 26 games and has won seven games when trailing in the seventh inning or later.

Bryant was trailing 7-3 in the seventh before Smith launched a game-tying grand slam to right field. The following inning, Petosa crushed an 0-1 pitch to right to give the Black and Gold the lead. Smith finished with five RBI, while Petosa had two hits and three runs scored.

Mark Scamardella, Toby Scheidt and Zach Nichols combined to allow just one baserunner over the final three innings. Scheidt earned the victory and Nichols collected his eighth save.

Game Information
Bryant 8, Rhode Island 7
Records: Bryant 23-11 | Rhode Island 11-19
Location: Conaty Park (Smithfield, R.I.)
W|L|S: Toby Scheidt (3-2) | Mahan | Nichols (8)

Key Moments

• Smith's grand slam tied it in the seventh and Petosa's solo shot gave Bryant the lead in the eighth.  

How it Happened

• URI plated a pair of runs in the first to start the scoring. A fly ball to right got lost in the sun and ended in a leadoff triple. A double off the wall in right center made it 1-0 and a single to center plated the second run.
• Bryant rallied for three runs in the bottom half of the first. Noriega got the Bulldogs on the board with a line drive home run to right center. A throwing error led to two more runs as Jackson Phinney singled home Brandyn Durand and Matt Smith scored Carmine Petosa with a sac fly.
• Mike DePino tied the game at 3-3 with a solo home run in the third.
• The Rams then took the lead with three runs in the fifth. All three runs came with two outs as a HBP extended the inning and a throwing error allowed two runs to score. A single to center made it 6-3.
• URI made it 7-3 with a bloop double to left in the sixth.
• The Bulldogs were able to tie the game in the seventh with one swing from Smith. Durand singled to start the inning and back-to-back walks loaded the bases. Smith then smashed an 0-1 pitch onto the softball batting cages for his first-career grand slam, tyin the game at 7-7.
• In the top of the eighth, URI put two on with one out against Scheidt but he induced a ground ball that Zyons and Grady turned into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
• Petosa then gave Bryant the lead in the bottom of the eighth as he walloped an 0-1 breaking ball over the right field wall.    

Inside the Box Score

• Both teams finished with nine hits.
• Petosa finished 2-for-3 with a double, home run and three runs scored.
• Smith hit a grand slam and finished with five RBI.
• Noriega hit a solo home run.
• Phinney collected two hits and reached three times.
• Ryan Santangelo picked up two hits.
• Jack Pletter started and allowed two runs on three hits over 2.0 innings.
• M.T. Morrissey, Scamardella, Scheidt and Nichols all recorded scoreless innings.

Game Notes

• Bryant improves to 15-10-1 all-time against URI. The Bulldogs have won 5-of-6.
• The Bulldogs are now 22-4 after starting the season 1-7.
• Bryant is now 15-3 at home this season.
• Bryant has now won seven times when trailing in the seventh inning or later this season.
• Petosa extended his on-base streak to 34 games this season and 37 dating back to last season. It is the longest on-base streak since Liam McGill reached in all 37 games during the 2021 season.
• Petosa's home run was his sixth of the season and the 20^th of his career. He is just the seventh player in DI program history to hit 20+ home runs.
• Zyons extended his on-base streak to 14 games.
• Smith's five RBI are a career high, while the grand slam is the first of his career.
• Smith is now 15-of-32 with four doubles and 15 RBI in nine games.
• Noriega's home run was his 13^th of the year, tying him with Ryan Ward for the most in a single season in DI program history.
• Nichols picked up his league-leading eighth save of the year.

Up Next
Bryant opens an America East series with UMass Lowell on Friday at Conaty Park. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.