Hillburger Stands Tall: Bryant Snaps Skid with Series-Opening Win at UMass Lowell

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On Friday night at LeLacheur Park, the Bryant University Bulldogs kicked off a high-stakes three-game series against the UMass Lowell River Hawks with an 8–5 victory. The win was a crucial one for the Bulldogs, as it snapped a five-game losing streak and moved them back to .500 in conference play.

Here is the breakdown of how the series opener unfolded:

Hillburger Finds His Groove

Despite a rocky start, Bryant starter Kaden Hillburger proved to be the difference-maker. After allowing five runs in the first two innings, Hillburger settled into a dominant rhythm, at one point retiring 12 consecutive batters and 13 of 14 River Hawks.

He managed to give the Bulldogs incredible length, pitching 8 full innings to earn his second win of the season. His final line: 8 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, and 5 SO.

A Chaotic Opening Act

The game began as a back-and-forth slugfest. UMass Lowell (16-21, 6-10 AE) struggled defensively early, as two errors from shortstop Rowan Masse allowed Bryant (20-18, 8-8 AE) to strike first.

The Response: The River Hawks answered in the bottom of the first when Cal Chance singled home Sean O’Leary (who finished the night 3-for-4).
The Second Inning Explosion: Both teams put up four runs in the second. Bryant relied on the bottom of the order—Cam Papetti, Justin Hackett, Mike Fiatarone, and Casey Wensley—all coming around to score. The highlight was a two-run triple by Ellis Garcia, who now has 37 RBI on the year.
The Counter-Punch: UMass Lowell responded immediately as Zachary Scott cleared the bases with a three-run triple down the right-field line. Cal Chance followed with an RBI groundout to tie the game at 5–5.

The Pitchers Take Control

After the fireworks of the second inning, the game transformed into a defensive duel. The River Hawks, who tallied seven hits in the first two innings, were held to just four hits over the final seven frames.

UMass Lowell starter Alfred Mucciarone battled into the sixth inning, allowing single runs in the fourth and fifth to give Bryant a 7–5 lead. While he took the loss (2-4), coach Nick Barese noted that Mucciarone did a vital job of preserving the bullpen, finishing with 5.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, and 4 SO.

Closing the Door

Jake Lefrancois provided solid relief for the River Hawks, throwing 3.2 innings. However, an unearned run crossed in the ninth following a throwing error on a bunt attempt, leading to an Ellis Garcia sacrifice fly that extended the Bryant lead to 8–5.

Aiden Vining took the mound for the Bulldogs in the ninth, surrendering one hit to O’Leary before inducing a game-ending double play to earn his second save of the season.

Coach’s Perspective

In a candid post-game assessment, UMass Lowell coach Nick Barese expressed disappointment in the team’s overall execution, stating he felt the River Hawks were “outplayed and out-coached”—the first time he has made such a claim this season.

Up Next: The series continues Saturday afternoon as Jacob Jette takes the mound for UMass Lowell, looking to even the series against the surging Bulldogs.

Post Game with Coach Nick Barese