For some time now, I have had the March 18th through the 20th weekend series between Rhode Island’s URI vs Bryant University baseball teams circled on my calendar. It had all the components I love to cover about Rhode Island baseball – two local Rhode Island college teams with rosters featuring elite talent from Rhode Island. URI’s Beck Field is a very popular destination for me all year long because of its consistent field readiness – fall, spring, summer, and yes in winter. Also worth mentioning that a good portion of each of the university’s coaching staffs have either coached, been teammates, or played against each other in summer collegiate leagues for the past decade or so. And the friendships I have made over the past few years covering baseball here in Rhode Island make the games even more enjoyable to go to. Plus there were two games over the weekend, which worked out for me scheduling wise with work. Win win for me here right?
Thursday afternoon I started to get texts and social media messages about the game schedule. No more Saturday game, there will now be a doubleheader on Friday followed by a Sunday game. Times for Friday game were 12pm and sometime after the first game ended for the 2nd game. Ok, I can work with this and still get to work at a decent hour. So, I headed down to Beck Field, URI to catch the first few innings of Game 1 – URI vs Bryant. Here are some observations from the bleachers behind the first base dugout and then the third base dugout.
I took a moment to appreciate the weather – 70 degrees, light or no wind, not a cloud in the sky, bright sunny day. Thank you Mother Nature. URI’s starting lineup was announced, players ran out to their positions, National Anthem played, then first pitch thrown by Middletown’s Ryan Andrade.
Cumberland’s Addison Kopack, URI’s starting Shortstop, lead off the bottom of the first with a rocket to his Bryant counterpart at SS, who played it on one hop, then threw Kopack out at first. Kopack would get into the hit column in a big way later in the game.
This matchup featured Middletown’s Ryan Andrade (URI) vs Warwick’s Matt Woods (Bryant). Woods would rip a single to right, scoring the runner from 2nd, then take 2nd on the throw. Woods wasn’t done hitting for the day, as I will explain later.
Getting back to the weather, I recall a game I attended in March, 2021 featuring these same two teams. My dress attire – 4 layers plus a vest, winter hat, gloves, and temps in the 30s with wind chills in the teens. What a difference a year makes.
In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Kopack crushed a ringing double to left centerfield, then took third after Bryant threw out a URI player at home. He would later score the first URI run of the game. On the day, Kopack would go 2 for 5, with a HR later in the game. Awesome!
Andrade vs Woods #2 – once again Matt Woods was up to the task with another single. On the day, Woods would go 5 for 5 – 3 singles, a double, and a triple. Wow!
As for URI’s Andrade, what a pitching performance for the true Freshman in front of a ton of family and friends in attendance – 5IP, 3H, 7K, 2runs (1 earned). Incredible pitching and control for a big time rivalry game!
I left around the 4th inning but the game continued long after that. Boy, did I miss a ton of excitement. Game 1 was supposed to be a 7 inning game, following by a 9 inning game in the “nightcap” of the doubleheader. Back and forth the two teams went, into extra innings – 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, then a 5 run top of the 10th for Bryant punctuated by a grand slam by Alex Lane, following by a 3 run answer from URI that fell just short. Final score in Game 1 – Bryant 8 – URI 6. Game 2 got underway and the two teams played until the 7th inning before darkness forced the game to be called. They will pick up where they left off on Sunday.
Fantastic weather, elite talent on the field featuring baseball players from Rhode Island performing at a high level, Beck Field in its usual ready to play condition, great back and forth game, runners thrown out a home, home runs, extra innings – wow I am exhausted just recapping this game. Awesome to sit with some of the URI player’s parents during the game and chat baseball. Parents of youth baseball players, even high school players – attend collegiate baseball games if at all possible. You can really see what the next level looks like, the intensity, the talent on the field, the stress levels, it can be an eye opening experience for you and your family.
For more information on URI Baseball head over to – Rhody Baseball
For more information on Bryant University Baseball, head over to – Bulldog Baseball
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