SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant baseball team heads to New Jersey this weekend for a three-game series with Big Ten member Rutgers. The series starts Friday afternoon with a 4:00 p.m. first pitch.

The series continues on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and concludes Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch. All three games will be streamed on BTN+.

The Particulars
Opponent: Rutgers
Location: Blainton Field (Piscataway, N.J.)
Date and Time: Friday, Mar. 6 - 4:00 PM | Saturday, Mar. 7 - 2:00 PM | Sunday, Mar. 8 - 1:00 PM
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Video: BTN+
Game Notes: Bryant
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Probable Starting Pitchers 

Friday - Kaden Hilburger vs Dallin Harrison
Saturday -  Dylan Scudder vs Zack Konstantinovsky
Sunday -  Jackson Vanesko vs Chris Sand

• Kaden Hilburger is coming off the longest outing of his career last weekend at Radford, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits over 4.0 innings. It did mark his first outing without a strikeout this season but the righty enters the weekend with nine strikeouts and just three walks in 8.2 innings.
• Dylan Scudder also enjoyed the longest outing of his Bryant career against the Highlanders, tossing 5.0 scoreless to earn his first win of the year. It was his longest collegiate outing since going 5.0 in a start for Eastern Connecticut in April of 2024. Scudder has allowed 13 hits, walked five and struck out five in 11.1 innings.
• Jackson Vanesko will look to bounce back in his home state as the Ocean City, N.J., native carries a 9.35 ERA into his fourth start. Vanesko's lone career outing in New Jersey came on Apr. 9, 2022 when he tossed 2.0 innings of one-run relief against Fairleigh Dickinson. 
• Harrison pitched well in each of his first two starts before allowing seven runs on just eight hits in an inning of work at East Carolina last weekend. In the first two starts, he allowed two runs on just 10 hits in 8.2 innings.
• Konstantinovsky is coming off the best outing of his career as he tossed 7.0 scoreless and limited Western Carolina to one hit last weekend. He's allowed just eight hits and has 19 strikeouts in 16.1 innings.
• Sand owns a 3.86 ERA through three outings, allowing four runs on eight hits over 9.1 innings. He allowed one run on three hits in a 3.0-inning start last Sunday against Troy.

Bryant vs. Rutgers

• Bryant and Rutgers are meeting for the first time in program history.
• This weekend's series will pit the Bulldogs against former head coach and Bryant Athletics Hall of Famer Steve Owens. Owens served as Bryant head coach from 2011-2019 and enters his seventh year with the Scarlet Knights.
• In addition, former Bryant pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Ryan Fecteau is in his first year on staff at Rutgers.

Bulldog Notes and Notables

• Bryant enters the weekend at 4-5 overall following a series victory at Radford last weekend.
• The Black and Gold have won two of their first three series for the first time since 2019 and just the third time in DI program history.
• Bryant is hitting .254 and averages 7.3 runs per game on the year. The Bulldogs have stolen 26 bases, ranking 20th nationally in steals per game.
• Casey Wensley was named the America East Player of the Week for the second time this season on Monday after going 8-for-15 with three extra-base hits, five RBI and six runs scored at Radford. He's now hitting .432 with 11 RBI, 11 runs scored, five stolen bases and a 1.124 OPS.
• Ellis Garcia leads the team with five extra-base hits and has a .429 OBP and a 1.040 OPS.
• On the mound, Aidan Vining currently leads the country in WHIP at 0.33. He has not walked a batter and allowed just three hits in 9.0 relief innings.
• Vining, Landon White (13) and Owen Birchard (9) have combined to strikeout 31 batters in 20.2 relief innings.

Scouting the Scarlet Knights

• Rutgers is 5-5 on the year and is coming off a 1-2 weekend at East Carolina. Rutgers fell to East Carolina and Troy, while picking up a win against Western Carolina.
• The Scarlet Knights are averaging 7.4 runs per game and are hitting .303 with 15 doubles and 14 home runs.
• Payton Bonds leads the way, hitting .391 with 10 RBI, 11 runs scored and four stolen bases.
• Charlie Meglio has three home runs and a team-high 11 RBI.
• Rutgers owns a 4.76 team ERA, with Joe Mazza (1-1, 4.35 ERA, 10.1IP, 8H, 9SO), VIncent Borghese (0-1, 3.38, 8.0IP, 8H, 11SO) and Andrew Rondini (3.86 ERA, 7.0 IP, 5H, 6SO) are the top relievers.