SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Junior Billy Ryan (Toms River, NJ/Manchester), left, went 5 for 5 with a double at the plate, as the Caldwell College baseball team defeated Bryant University, 8-3 in a non-conference game Sunday afternoon at the Bryant Baseball Complex. The Cougars improve to 5-9 on the season with the win, while the Bulldogs drop to 4-17.

Ryan helped get the Cougars off to a good start in the first inning with a one-out single. He advanced to second on a single by senior Landon Viessy (Oakland Gardens, NY/Cardozo), then scored on an RBI single from senior Nick Mauro (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) to put Caldwell ahead 1-0. After Bryant tied the game with a run in the bottom of the first, the Cougars regained the lead with two runs in the top of the third. Freshman Nick Longo (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) scored on an error, then Mauro knocked home Ryan again with another RBI single.

Following a Bulldog run in the bottom of the third, Ryan extended Caldwell's lead to 4-2 in the fourth with a single that scored sophomore Rich Gili (Manorville, NY/Shoreham-Wading River). Bryant tallied an unearned run in the fifth to make the score 4-3, but Ryan hit an RBI double in the top of the sixth, followed by a solo home run from junior Efrain Velazquez (Brick, NJ/Brick Twp.) to lead off the seventh that gave the Cougars an insurmountable 6-3 advantage. Longo's RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Viessy in the top of the eighth completed the scoring.

Sophomore pitcher Tommy Murphy (Monroe, NY/Washingtonville) allowed four hits and three runs, two earned, in 7 1/3 innings to pick up the victory. Senior Michael Fillucco (Little Egg Harbor, NJ/Lacey Twp.) also worked 2 2/3 innings in relief.

The Cougars open up the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference season with a game at Bloomfield College on Monday, Mar. 27. The first pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.