Box Score VESTAL, N.Y. – Austin Wainer pitched a complete game and the top-seeded Bryant baseball team hit three home runs on its way to an 8-4 victory over fourth-seeded UMass Lowell on Thursday in Game 3 of the 2024 America East Baseball Championships.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 34-19 overall and advance to the winner's bracket round of the tournament. Bryant will face the winner of Game 4 between No. 2 seed UMBC and No. 3 seed NJIT on Friday, May 24 at 3:00 p.m.

Wainer picked the perfect time to toss his first career complete game, limiting the River Hawks to four runs on eight hits to earn his seventh win of the year. He walked one and struck out five.
Bryant's offense staked Wainer to a 3-0 lead thanks to first-inning home runs from Zac Zyons and Matt Smith. Carmine Petosa also homered, finishing 4-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored. Jackson Phinney (2-4, 2R) and Brandyn Durand (2-4, R) each had two hits, while Justin Hackett drove in two.

Game Information
No. 1 Bryant 8, No. 4 UMass Lowell 4
Records: Bryant 34-19 | UMass Lowell 24-30
Location: Bearcats Baseball Complex (Binghamton, N.Y.)
W|L|S: Austin Wainer (7-2) | Miles Cota (2-2)

Key Moments

• Zyons hit the first of the first inning into the Bryant bullpen to give the Bulldogs an immediate lead.
• Wainer limited UML to just three runs after the River Hawks had two on with no outs in the third and the bases loaded with no outs in the fourth.

How it Happened

• Bryant jumped out to a quick lead thanks to pair of home runs in the first. Zyons hit the first pitch into the Bryant bullpen and Smith lined a 2-0 pitch over the bullpen to make it 3-0.
• UMass Lowell was able to push across its first run in the third. The River Hawks put runners on second and third with no outs but Wainer limited the damage to one run. He got a strikeout for the first out and Zyons made a great backhand play up the middle for the second out. A run scored on the play but Wainer ended the inning with a fly to right.
• Bryant was able to answer as Petosa launched a towering solo home run to right in the bottom of the third.
• The River Hawks rallied again in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with no outs. A hit batter scored a run and a sac fly made it 4-3. Wainer then got a fly ball and a ground out to end the rally.
• Bryant had an answer, plating two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Jackson Phinney doubled to start the inning and Gavin Greger followed with a hard ground ball to second. UML tried to get Phinney at third but the throw was wild, allowing Phinney to score. Justin Hackett made it 6-3 with a sac fly to right field.
• UML made it a 6-4 game in the fifth as Fritz Genther homered to right center. Chris Einemann helped stop a further UML rally by leaping to grab a liner before doubling off the runner at first.
• Bryant would add two insurance runs in the sixth to make it 8-4. Hackett brought home Phinney with a sac fly and Gavin Noriega drove in a run with an infield single up the middle.
• Wainer would go from there, retiring the final 10 batters to finish off his first-career complete game.

Inside the Box Score

• Bryant outhit UMass Lowell, 13-8.
• Wainer allowed four runs on eight hits, walked one and struck out five in a complete-game effort.
• He was efficient, needing just 112 pitches to complete his outing.
• Petosa went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run and two runs scored.
• Zyons and Smith both homered for the Bulldogs.
• Zyons finished with three hits.
• Phinney posted two hits and scored two runs.
• Durand singled twice and scored a run.
• Batting ninth, Hackett drove in two runs with a pair of sac flies.

Game Notes

• Bryant is now 7-7 vs UMass Lowell at the DI level. The Bulldogs have won 3-of-4 meetings this season.
• Thursday marked Bryant's first America East postseason victory.
• The Bulldogs are now 33-12 in their last 45 after starting the season 1-7.
• Wainer becomes the first Bulldog to throw a complete game in the postseason since Logan Frasier tossed a complete game in game six of the 2022 NEC Championships.
• Wainer now leads the America East with seven victories.
• Wainer has pitched well in the America East Tournament, the last two seasons. He allowed one unearned run and no hits over 3.0 innings of relief vs UML last year.
• Carmine Petosa has now reached safely in all 53 games this season and 56 straight dating back to last season. It extends his program record.
• Petosa's 12^th home run of the year ties him with Alex Lane, Jimmy Titus and Pat McKenna for the third-most in a single season in DI program history.
• Petosa now has 19 doubles on the year, the sixth-most in DI program history.
• Zyons extended his on-base streak to 33 games. He has 19 multi-hit games on the year.
• Zyons' home run was his eighth of the year. He is the first Bulldog to lead off a game with a home run since he did so at UAlbany this year.
• Noriega picked up his 56^th RBI of the season, the most in America East and tied for fifth in DI program history.

Up Next
The top-seeded Bulldogs will now face the winner of No. 2 UMBC/No. 3 NJIT on Friday, May 24 at 3:00 p.m.