MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Graduate righthander Matt Josselyn (Hanson, Mass.) tossed the second perfect game in Bridgewater State University baseball history as the Bears opened the 2023 season with a 4-0 victory over Rivier University on Sunday night in the first game of a doubleheader at The Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Josselyn retired all 21 batters he faced with an impressive 13 strikeouts. Only two balls left the infield, a fly out to center in the third and a fly out to right in the sixth. The game was completed in just 87 minutes.

The only other perfect game in program history was tossed by Shawn Cronin in 2000. Josselyn's perfect game also marked the Bears' first no-hitter since Andy Sadowksi in 2014.

The Bears pushed across four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore second baseman Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.) walked to lead of the frame and stole second. After an out, sophomore centerfielder DJ Prampin (Worcester, Mass.) recorded his first collegiate hit, a single into left field, with Emerson coming around to score on a throwing error by the left fielder. Senior first baseman Joey Molis (Cumberland, R.I.) followed with an RBI single up the middle to plate Prampin with the second run of the inning. Junior third baseman Kyle Suraci (Clinton, Conn.) was hit by a pitch and junior left fielder Cam James (Ipswich, Mass.) roped an RBI double down the left field line to score Molis. Freshman catcher Nolan DeAndrade (Bridgewater, Mass.) capped off the inning with a sacrifice fly in his first collegiate plate appearance.

Freshman righthander Nolan Mederos (Nashua, N.H.) was tagged with the loss on the mound for the Raiders in his collegiate debut. Mederos gave up four runs on four hits with a pair of walks and five strikeouts. He also hit three batters. Freshman right Sam Kalivas (Methuen, Mass.) also made his debut for Rivier. Kalivas came on in the bottom of the fifth and retired all six batters he faced.