Noriega Drives In Six Runs To Lead Bryant Baseball Past Merrimack

Bryant University Press Release

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Gavin Noriega drove in six runs to pace the Bryant baseball team to a 13-1 mercy-rule victory over Merrimack on Tuesday afternoon at Conaty Park.

The Bulldogs improve to 4-5-1 overall and will head to Dayton, Ohio, for a three-game series with the Flyers starting on Friday.

Noriega drove in runs in each of his first three at-bats, hitting a three-run shot in the first, a two-run double in the second and an RBI ground out in the third. He finished 2-for-4 with six RBI and a run scored. Brandyn Durand added two hits and three RBI.

Five Bryant pitchers combined to limit the Warriors to just two hits.

Game Information
Bryant 11, Merrimack 1
Records: Bryant 4-5-1 | Merrimack 1-10-1
Location: Conaty Park (Smithfield, R.I.)
W|L|S: Ey | Franco

Key Moments

• Noriega hit a three-run home run in the first and the Bulldogs never looked back.

How it Happened

• In the first, Matt D’Amato and Durand reached to start the game and Noriega lifted a towering three-run shot to right to open the scoring.
• Noriega was at it again in the second as he went the other way to bring home two with a two-out double.
• Merrimack would plate its only run in the third as Christian Scanlon snuck a single through the right side with two outs.
• The Black and Gold added three more runs in the bottom of the third. Aleksei Goldhill plated a run with a sac fly, Durand drove in a run with a single to right and Noriega’s ground out to first scored the final run.
• In the fourth, Shea Grady plated a run with a perfect safety squeeze.
• Durand made it 11-1 in the sixth as he hammered a two-run double down the right field line.

Inside the Box Score

• Bryant outhit Merrimack, 10-
• Jackson Vanesko allowed one run on hit, walked two and struck out two over 2.2 innings.
• Brooks Ey tossed 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, striking out two.
• Liam Chamberlain, Alex Slotter and Sean Clifford all pitched scoreless innings of relief.
• D’Amato reached three times with two walks and an HBP. He stole bases and scored twice.
• Durand had two hits and drove in three runs.
• Noriega finished 2-for-4 with a home run and six RBI.
• Eliot Medlock doubled twice.
• Grady and Jacob Gaudreau each scored two runs.

Game Notes

• Bryant improves to 13-2-1 against Merrimack at the DI level.
• Vanesko recorded his longest outing of the season.
• Sean Clifford made his collegiate debut in the seventh inning.
• Noriega’s six RBI are a career high and the second-most in a single game in DI program history.
• Noriega hit his 22^nd career home run, tying him for 8^th in DI program history.
• Durand now has a team-high 15 RBI on the year.
• Medlock posted the first two hits of his collegiate career.

Up Next
Bryant heads to Dayton, Ohio, this Friday to begin a three-game series with the Flyers.