Grady's walk-off completes late rally as Bryant wins series vs UML

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Carmine Petosa's two-out, two-run double tied the game in the eighth and Shea Grady's two-out RBI single in the ninth walked it off as the Bryant baseball team rallied for an 8-7 series clinching victory over UMass Lowell on Sunday afternoon at Conaty Park.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 25-12 overall and 13-2 in the America East. Bryant is now 24-5 in its last 29 games and is now 17-4 at home. Bryant has now won each of its last seven weekend series and has won eight games when trailing in the seventh inning or later this season.

Bryant trailed 7-4 entering the eighth inning but put together a rally to tie it. Grady was hit by a pitch and Zac Zyons singled to put two on with one out. UML brought in their closer and he got a ground out to second for the second out. A wild pitch plated a run and Brandyn Durand's walk and subsequent stolen base put the tying runs in scoring position for Petosa. Hitless to that point, Petosa hammered a 2-2 pitch into right center for a game-tying two-run double.

In the ninth, Daniel Baruch worked a leadoff walk and advanced into scoring position on a sac bunt. Grady then knocked a 3-1 pitch through the right side to score Baruch and set off a wild celebration in shallow right field.

Game Information
Bryant 8, UMass Lowell 7
Records: Bryant 25-12, 13-2 | UMass Lowell 16-21, 7-7
Location: Conaty Park (Smithfield, R.I.)
W|L|S: Jared Burrows (4-3) | Foley (0-2)

Key Moments

• Petosa tied the game with a two-out, two-run double in the eighth and Grady walked it off with a two-out RBI single in the ninth.

How it Happened

• UMass Lowell grabbed an early lead with single runs in the first and second. Fritz Genther hit an opposite field home run to right in the first. In the second, Ryan Proto led off with a ground-rule double and came around to score on an infield ground ball.
• Bryant rallied back in front with three runs in the third and one in the fourth. In the third, Gavin Noriega blasted a game-tying two-run home run onto the softball field. Durand then singled and came around to score on a double to deep center from Jackson Phinney.
• Zyons pushed Bryant's lead to 4-2 with a solo home run to right field in the fourth.
• The River Hawks retook the lead with three runs in the top of the sixth. Ryan Strand doubled home two to tie it and then scored on a Roddy Hernandez double to make it 5-4.
• UML added to its lead with two runs in the seventh. The first scored on a safety squeeze and the second on a sac fly (7-4).
• Bryant rallied to tie the game with three in the eighth. Grady (HBP) came around to score on a wild pitch for the first run and Petosa tied the game as he laced 2-2 pitch into right center for a 2-run double.
• In the ninth, Grady came through with the two-out knock, singling through the right side to score Baruch from second.
• It was made possible thanks to 2.2 perfect innings of relief from Jared Burrows. The righty delivered his longest outing since April 2, 2022.

Inside the Box Score

• Bryant outhit UMass Lowell, 11-8.
• Tyler Horvat allowed two runs on three hits before leaving with two on and two outs in the third.
• Liam LeVangie was stellar in relief, retiring seven of the eight batters he faced over 2.1 scoreless innings.
• Colin Brodeur and Ryan Bradley worked a combined 1.1 innings of relief, allowing five runs (four earned).
• Jared Burrows tossed 2.2 perfect innings of relief to earn the win.
• Zyons finished 3-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored.
• Noriega homered and drove in two.
• Durand singled and scored twice.
• Petosa doubled home a pair.
• Baruch went 1-for-2 with three walks and scored the game-winning run.
• Grady finished 1-for-3 with the game-winning RBI and two runs scored.

Game Notes

• Bryant is now 6-7 vs UMass Lowell at the DI level.
• The series victory is Bryant's seventh consecutive series win. They have won all five AE series.
• Bryant is now 19-2 over is last seven weekend series.
• The Bulldogs are now 24-5 after starting the season 1-7.
• Bryant is now 17-4 at home this season. Bryant won all five of its home series this season.
• Bryant has now won eight games when trailing in the seventh inning or later this season.
• The Black and Gold also improve to 10-3 in one-run games this year.
• Noriega set the Bryant DI single-season record with his 14^th home run of the season. It also tied Bryant single season record set by Marc Boccuzzi in 1998.
• Noriega has now homered six times in his last nine games.
• Petosa extended his on-base streak to 37 games this season and 40 dating back to last season with his two-run double. It is the longest on-base streak since Chris Wright reached in 42-straight games during the 2019 season.
• Zyons extended his on-base streak to 17 games with his 12^th multi-hit game of the year. He posted multiple hits in all three games vs UML and finished 7-of-13 with two homers, three RBI and five runs scored in the series.
• Zyons' home run was his second of the weekend and his seventh of the season. He has now hit six home runs in America East play and is hitting .434 in conference play.
• Phinney has now hit safely in five-straight games, posting three multi-hit games. He has four doubles in those five games and has an RBI in each of the last four.
• Grady posted his first-career walk-off hit.
• Burrows is now tied for the team lead with four wins. Sunday marked his longest outing since April 2, 2022.    

Up Next
Bryant wraps up its home-and-home with in-state rival URI on Tuesday in Kingston. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.