Daniel Dryden rounds second base and heads for third during a recent Bryan College game. Below, Dryden’s official Media Handbook photo for the Bryan Lions.

Photos courtesy of Bryan College Sports Information Office.

A young college baseball player with close ties to Albany and Clinton County is currently helping his team toward its goal of winning a NAIA Championship.

Daniel Dryden, a freshman playing for Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee, has primarily been playing during this 2021 season as a pinch-runner and has scored 13 runs as of last Friday, according to Bryan College Sports Information Director David Kalk.

Dryden is the son of Albany native Dewayne Dryden, and his wife, Patty. He is the grandson of Gerald Dryden and the late Ruth Dryden, of Albany.

The Bryan Lions finished the regular season ranked 18th in the final regular season NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 poll, and earned a bid to the 2021 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round.

The Lions made their way into the Appalachian Athletic Conference (ACC) Tournament Championship game.

With a 36-16 overall record going into the NAIA National Championship Tournament, the Lions lost their ACC Tournament Championship game against Tennessee Wesleyan, 18-3, but by virtue of reaching that championship game, earned a berth in the NAIA Championship brackets.

Bryon lost it’s opening round game in the double-elimination NAIA tournament on Monday night, falling to Middle Georgia State College 2-1.

Moving into the loser’s bracket, they were set to play in a “win or go home” game on Tuesday, facing Fisher College.