SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The fourth-seeded Bryant baseball team will face top-seed and host NC State on Friday night in the game two of the 2024 NCAA Raleigh (N.C.) Regional at Doak Field. First pitch is set for 7:06 p.m.

Bryant is making its fourth NCAA Regional appearance and first since 2016. Second-seeded South Carolina and third-seeded James Madison meet in Friday's first game. The tournament continues Saturday and Sunday with two games.     

The Particulars
Dates: May 31-June 3
Location: Doak Field (Raleigh, N.C.)
Tournament Page: GoPack.com
Live Stats: NCAA.com
Video: ESPN+
Game Notes: Bryant
Social Media: Facebook | X | Instagram | #AEBASE  

Tournament Field
No. 1 seed - NC State (ACC)
No. 2 seed - South Carolina (SEC)
No. 3 seed - James Madison (Sun Belt)
No. 4 seed - Bryant (America East)

Bryant vs. The Field

• Bryant has only faced James Madison. The Bulldogs took two-of-three from the Dukes in 2009, Bryant's first season at the Division I level. 

Bryant in the NCAA Tournament

• Bryant is 1-6 all-time in the NCAA Tournament at the DI level.
• This year marks Bryant's first appearance as a No. 4 seed. The Bulldogs have been a No. 2 seed (2016) and a No. 3 seed (2013, 2014).
• The Bulldogs' first tournament appearance came in 2013 and saw the Black and Gold defeat Arkansas in the first game. It marked the first DI NCAA Tournament victory in Bryant University history.
• Bryant would fall to host Kansas State and Arkansas in the next two games.
• In 2014, Bryant dropped a pair of 10-inning games to Houston and Southeastern Louisiana. The Bulldogs allowed just one earned run in the two games.
• In 2016, the Bulldogs were tied with East Carolina until the Pirates had a big inning late to win the opener. The Bulldogs dropped a 4-3 game to William & Mary in game two.

Bulldog Notes and Notables

• Bryant enters the NCAA Tournament with a 36-19 record, going 35-12 over its last 47 games following a 1-7 start to the year.
• The Black and Gold played 21 of its first 37 games at home but finished the year with 13 of its final 15 on the road. Bryant played each of its final four weekend series on the road. Add in the conference tournament and Bryant has played each of the last five weeks away from Conaty Park. Bryant is 11-7 in those 18 games.
• The Bulldogs won their first America East Championship last weekend, going 3-0 to claim the title. Bryant defeated UMass Lowell (8-4) and UMBC twice (4-1, 15-10).
• It marked Bryant's fourth conference tournament title (2013, 2014, 2016, 2024). 
• Bryant enters the tournament hitting .282 with 123 doubles, 81 home runs, a .490 slugging % and 54 stolen bases. The 81 home runs are tied for the most in a single season in DI program history.
• As a staff, Bryant owns an overall ERA of 5.27, good enough for first in the AE and 77th nationally.
• Carmine Petosa has reached safely in all 55 games and a program-record 58-straight dating back to last year. 
• Petosa opened the year hitting just .158 (6-38) in his first 14 games but posted a .476 OBP thanks to 19 walks. Over the last 41 games, Petosa is hitting .361 with a .470 OBP. He has 18 doubles, 13 homers and 52 RBI in that stretch.
• Petosa was named the America East Tournament MOP after going 8-of-14 with three doubles, three home runs and seven RBI. He homered twice in the championship game.
• Gavin Noriega, the America East Player of the Year, enters the NCAA Tournament hitting .338 with 18 home runs, 58 RBI and 59 runs scored. He has the chance to become the first player in DI program history to record 60+ RBI and 60+ runs scored in a single season. Noriega ranks in the top 70 nationally in OBP, slugging and OPS.
• Zac Zyons brings a 35-game on-base streak into the weekend. He won the America East batting title, finishing the regular season with a .373 average. He enters this weekend hitting .377 with eight home runs, 33 RBI and 48 runs scored. Zyons ranks fifth in the America East in slugging, second in OBP and fourth in OPS.  
• On the mound, Austin Wainer (7-2, 4.03) will get the ball on Friday night. The righty from Johns Creek, Ga., tossed his first career complete game last weekend in the conference tournament. He has pitched nine of his 15 starts this year. 
• Liam LeVangie has shifted into Bryant's third spot after the injury to Tyler Horvat. LeVangie has posted a 3.78 ERA, 14 strikeouts and just four walks in his five starts.
• Out of the bullpen, Bryant has relied on Jared Burrows (20 app, 4-3, 5.13), Zach Nichols (21 app, 8-11 SV-OPP), Jack Pletter (16 app, 5.28), Mark Scamardella (21 app, 5.32), Landon White (0.71) and Ryan Bradley (18 app, 7.11). 
• Scamardella and White both tossed 3.1 scoreless innings of relief last weekend in the conference tournament. 

Scouting the Regional

• NC State is hosting a regional for the seventh time in program history. The Wolfpack are 18-5 when they host a regional, having advanced to the Super Regionals in four of the previous six regionals that they've hosted.
• The Wolfpack are 33-20 overall with a .284 team average and a team ERA of 6.30. Alec Makarewicz leads the team hitting .376 with 20 doubles, 19 home runs and 71 RBI. 
• Sam Highfill will start on Friday and is 5-2 with a 5.56 ERA in 68.0 innings. He has 69 strikeouts and 36 walks. 
• South Carolina is making its 35th NCAA Regional appearance. The Gamecocks have made 11 trips to the College World Series.
• USC is hitting .275 with a team ERA of 5.08. Cole Messina is hitting .330 with 19 doubles, 20 home runs and 69 RBI.
• James Madison is making its first NCAA Regional appearance since 2011 and is an at-large bid out of the Sun Belt.
• Fenwick Trimble leads the way with 17 doubles, 14 home runs, 61 RBI and 68 runs scored. 
• The Dukes have stolen 100 bases as a team.