ANDOVER, Mass. –
Gavin Noriega set the Division I program home run record as the Bryant baseball team won its ninth-straight game on Tuesday as it defeated Merrimack, 9-5, in a rain-shortened game.
The Bulldogs improve to 27-16-1 overall with their 16th win in the last 17 games. Bryant has won each of its last nine games overall and has won nine straight games on the road, the longest active streak in the country.
One game after tying
Carmine Petosa's DI program record for home runs, Noriega moved into sole possession of first place with a first-inning opposite field home run. He is now tied with Tony Garganese (1985-87) for the most home runs in program history.
Zac Zyons picked up a bases-clearing double,
Evan Blake drove in a pair and
Drew Wyers added his seventh home run of the year.
Game Information
Bryant 9, Merrimack 5
Records: Bryant 27-16-1 | Merrimack 15-32-1
Location: Greater Lawrence Tech (Andover, Mass.)
W|L|S: Deitelbaum (3-3) | Linnehan | Davis (1)
Key Moments
- Zyons broke open a close game with a bases-clearing double in the top of the second.
How it Happened
- Noriega got the Bulldogs on the board two batters into the game as he homered to left field to make it 1-0.
- In the second, Bryant took advantage of an inning-opening error to score three times. Gaudreau and Blake reached to load the bases and Zyons roped a three-run double to make it 4-0.
- Wyers pushed the lead to 5-0 as he opened the third with a home run to left.
- Merrimack plated a pair of runs in the fourth on an RBI triple and a sac fly.
- The Bulldogs answered with four runs in the top of the fifth. Merrimack seemed to be out of the inning but a throwing error on an inning-ending strikeout in the dirt resulted in two runs. Blake followed with a two-run single to make it 9-2.
- Merrimack plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth on an infield error and then a hit batter and a walk with the bases loaded. Ty Davis extinguished the rally with a strikeout.
- The second rain delay of the night would complete the game at 6 ½ innings.
Inside the Box Score
- Merrimack outhit Bryant, 7-6.
- Zyons drove in three with a bases-clearing double.
- Noriega homered and scored two runs.
- Wyers finished with two hits, a home run and two runs scored.
- Charlie Saul walked twice and scored two runs.
- Jacob Gaudreau reached three times with a hit, walk and a HBP.
- Blake drove in two runs with a single.
- Trey Deitelbaum allowed two runs on four hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out six over 4.0 innings.
- Ty Davis notched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, striking out two.
Game Notes
- Bryant is now 14-2-1 vs Merrimack at the DI level. The Bulldogs went 2-0-1 vs the Warriors this season.
- The Bulldogs have won 16 of their last 17 games overall and nine straight. Bryant also extended its nation-best road winning streak to nine games.
- Wyers extended his on-base streak to 26 games and is now hitting .425 with a 1.236 OPS.
- Noriega extended his on-base streak to 22 games and has 45 RBI.
- Noriega's home run was his eighth of the year and 29th of his career. He is now the DI program leader in home runs and is tied with Tony Garganese for program record.
- D'Amato has reached safely in 20-straight games and leads the team with 23 walks.
- Deitelbaum picked up his third midweek victory of the year. He has allowed two runs or less in each of his last four midweek starts.
- Davis earned his first-career save on Tuesday.
Up Next
Bryant welcomes NJIT to Conaty Park for a three-game America East series this weekend. The series is set to open Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.
