March 31, 2009
BULLDOGS HEAD TO CENTRAL CONNECTICUT FOR DOUBLEHEADER WEDNESDAY, HOST QUINNIPIAC IN TWIN BILL SUNDAY
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant University softball team gets ready for a pair of doubleheaders this week, as they travel to Central Connecticut on Wednesday afternoon before hosting Quinnipiac for a twin bill on Sunday. The games at Central Connecticut will be played at St. Joseph's College in West Hartford, Connecticut, as the Blue Devils home field is being renovated. The Bulldogs will be looking to snap a nine-game skid, including losing three-straight one run games over the weekend. Bryant lost an extra inning battle with URI at home on Saturday, 3-2, before falling to Wagner twice, 5-4 and 7-6.
CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR
The Bulldogs have lost three-straight one-run games,
falling to Wagner, 7-6 and 5-4, and URI, 3-2. Bryant held leads in
both games against Wagner over the weekend, but was burned by
late-inning rallies to help the Seahawks to two wins in the
doubleheader. A controversial play against URI late in the game led
to a Rams extra inning win over the black and gold on Saturday,
putting Bryant's record at 1-2 in extra inning contests. Overall
this season, the Bulldogs have gone 2-6 in one run games, winning
games over Youngstown State, 2-1, and Holy Cross, 3-2 earlier in
the year.
UP THE MIDDLE
Shortstop Ali Chouinard (Swansea, Mass.)
has gone six for her last 16 at the plate over the last five games,
including three two-hit performances, good for a .375 average. The
junior has ripped two doubles and scored twice in that stretch,
while continuing to play solid defense, making only one error in 14
chances (.929 fielding percentage).
STREAKING SENIORS
Seniors Anne Dobmeier (Buffalo, N.Y.) and
Stephanie Mirando (North Haven, Conn.) both bring
three-game hit streaks into play this week. Dobmeier has gone
three-for-seven over the last three games, with one home run and
two RBI, including a game-tying blast to left field in the bottom
of the seventh inning against URI to send the contest into extra
frames. Mirando has gone four-for-11 with two RBI during her hit
streak, including two hits in game one on Saturday against Wagner.
GOING DEEP
Junior Kim Leonard (Milford, Mass.)
earned starts in each of the two games against Wagner on Sunday and
made the most of them at the plate. Leonard launched her first home
run of the season, a two-run blast in game one, tying the game in
the top of the fourth. The junior did it again in game two, this
time hitting a three-run shot in the first inning, giving Bryant, a
4-0 lead at the time. As a team, the Bulldogs have homered in
three-straight games, with Anne Dobmeier hitting a solo bomb
against URI on Saturday.
CLIMBING THE
CHARTS
Sophomore starting pitcher Samantha Houseal (Mount
Joy, Pa.) has stepped into the number one starter role
well this year, picking up five wins thus far this year with an
impressive 130 strikeouts in 159.1innings pitched, the fourth most
innings pitched by a Bulldog in a single season. She already ranks
third all-time for strikeouts in a career with 209, while her 130
punch-outs this year is second most for a Bulldog pitcher in a
single season, trailing only Janine Enos for the record of 145.
DOBMEIER DOES IT AGAIN
Anne Dobmeier hit a game-tying, lead-off home run in the
bottom of the seventh inning on Saturday versus URI, knotting the
game at 1-1 and sending the teams into extra frames. The
senior has had a flare for the dramatic, hitting a two out, two run
homerun in the bottom of the sixth inning earlier this season
against Holy Cross in game one of a doubleheader on March 17,
turning a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead to help Bryant to a win in
their first Division I home game.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Central Connecticut (6-13)
The Blue Devils had a doubleheader canceled over the
weekend with Sacred Heart due to the rain in the northeast.
The squad won a pair of games the last time they took the field,
beating Fairleigh Dickinson, 5-2 and 3-1, on the road on Saturday.
Picked to finish eighth in the Northeast Conference this year, Central Connecticut is led by Katherine Knowles at the plate, who enters the week with a .327 average, recording 19 hits in 57 at-bats. Jaclyn Logan has been the best run producer for the Blue Devils, knocking in 13 runs and leading the team with six doubles. Liz Montemurro has been the team's top pitcher, starting in nine games while posting a 4-5 record and a 3.16 ERA.
Quinnipiac (5-20)
The Bobcats play doubleheaders against Fairleigh Dickinson
and Central Connecticut before making the trip up to Smithfield for
a pair of games Sunday afternoon. The team was picked to finish
seventh in the NEC this year, and enter play this week having lost
five-straight.
Quinnipiac has struggled at the plate as a team this year, hitting .190 as a team. Christine Bourdeau has been the most consistent hitting, posting a .303 average while starting all 25 games for the Bobcats. As a team, Quinnipiac has hit 10 home runs, led by Katie Allendorfer who has blasted three on the year to go with 10 RBI, while Kelly Wall leads the team with 11 runs batted in.
