Bryant battles but falls on Senior Day

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University softball team generated their most successful campaign in Division I, but could not end the season on a high note, as the Bulldogs dropped two tightly-contested matchups, 3-2 and 4-3, against Sacred Heart University on a sunny and warm Senior Day at the Softball complex.

The Bulldogs (25-19, 14-6 Northeast Conference) received two solid performances in the circle from senior Samantha Houseal (Mount, Joy, Pa.) and Jennifer Jacob (Deer Park, N.Y.), but failed to convert at the plate, stranding 18 against the Pioneers (27-19, 14-6).

With the pair of losses, the Black and Gold fall into a tie for second place with the Pioneers behind Robert Morris University (21-24, 11-5), but still have an opportunity to finish as the 2011 NEC regular season co-champs, depending on the outcome of the Colonials' four remaining conference outings.

Houseal (13-9), who finished her career with 427 total Ks, took the circle in game one and tossed her fifth complete game of the season. The senior's last start for the Bulldogs could not have started any better, as the Pennsylvania native allowed one hit in the first and retired the side in order in the bottom of the second.

At the plate, the Bulldogs struck first in the bottom of the second, when Lindsay Martin (Methuen, Mass.) bounced a line drive one-run double off the right field wall, bringing home Kate Murray (Fitchburg, Mass.) all the way from first for the 1-0 lead. Martin would advance to third courtesy of a single by Lauren McCart (Voorhees, N.J.) before Burdo picked up her first RBI on the day with a sacrifice bunt to put the home side up, 2-0.

Despite the deficit, Sacred Heart responded in the top of half of the next inning, scratching across two runs on three hits. All three base knocks were infield hits as the Pioneers executed small ball with one bunt and two hard-hit singles.

The visitors added another run in the top of the fourth, to pull out to a 3-2 lead as Nicole Sidor led off with a standup double to left center. Sidor came across home on a single up the middle from Melissa Tobin, the eight hole hitter, giving SHU the 3-0 edge.

Sacred Heart's Jen Russell found much success on the rubber, as the righty would surrender a handful of hits but would keep the Bulldogs off the board over the final five innings, handing Bryant the 3-2 loss.

Still with a chance to claim an outright first-place rank, the Bulldogs bounced back in the second outing with sharp defense and solid pitching from Jacob (4-3).

The Pioneers took a 1-0 lead off a back-to-back doubles by Annie Dreher and Carley Rudloff in the top of the second. As for the home team, Bryant continued to struggle at the plate, mustering a single hit through the first three.

In the mean time, SHU added its second score of the outing in the top of the fifth, as Taylor Frolich connected on a single to left field with runners on the corners, lifting the Pioneers to a 2-0 advantage.

After being held to two hits in the fifth and sixth inning and Russell back on the mound searching for her second W on the day things seemed bleak for the home side. But the Bulldogs battled back with Laura Bowen (Hudson, Mass.) hitting a one-out single down the line. Rookie sensation Aubrey Mable then stepped into the batter's box and on the 2-2 pitch hit a two-run bomb over the left field fence to tie the score, 2-2.

For the fourth time this season, Bryant headed into extras and put forth a valiant show in the following innings. Jacob was still in the circle and rung up two Pioneers over the next two innings.

With the tiebreaker rule in effect, the Pioneers cashed in on the runner in scoring position with two runs in the top of the 10^th.  Jacob had given way to sophomore Brittany Hart (North Andover, Mass.), who was looking to stop the rally, but Alyssa Garza broke open the scoring with a two-out, two-run double to left field, giving the visitors a 4-2 lead.

Corder started the bottom half on second and would eventually come across on a groundout off the bat of Martin, her second RBI of the day, but Russell struck out the final batter to end the contest.

Mable paced the lineup with her 4-for-6 performance while picking up her 30^th RBI of the season. Also highlighting the lineup was Burdo, who finished the day with a 2-for-5 showing at the dish, including one RBI.

The Bulldogs wrap up their third season of Division I competition with 25 wins and 14 of them coming in league play. Bryant finished 8-5 at home in 2011 and posted a 15-7 mark on the road.

Fans, be sure to check back www.bryantbulldogs.com for a season recap and an update on how the Bulldogs finished in the Northeast Conference standings.