Bulldogs take one in marathon day at Mustang Classic

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University softball team opened its Spring Break with a triple header on the first day of the Mustang Classic, topping Sacramento St. before falling to IUPUI and Southern Utah Saturday in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

GAME 1

The Bulldogs (5-8) started their Spring Break off on a high note with a 6-5 win over Sacramento St. in Game 1 Saturday's triple header at the Mustang Classic.

Senior centerfielder Madeline Velasquez (Los Angeles, Calif.) led the way with three hits, two RBI and two runs scored, while classmate Jessica Benacquista (Belleville, N.J.) came up with the eventual game-winning single in the bottom of the sixth to lead the Bulldogs.

After the Hornets (7-10) strung back-to-back RBI base knocks together to open up a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, Bryant answered in the bottom half of the inning behind a Velasquez RBI double and a RBI single from junior Elle Madsen (Wheat Ridge, Colo.). The Black and Gold went on to take the 3-2 lead in the second inning when a Velasquez ground out scored sophomore Mallory Harrigan (Albany, N.Y.).

Sacrament St. evened the score in the third but the Bulldogs answered right back, capitalizing on one of three Hornet errors in the contest, scoring Madsen to open a 4-3 edge. After the Hornets knotted the score, 4-4, in the top of the sixth, Benacquista came up huge with a two-out, two-run single down the right field line, scoring Velasquez and junior second baseman Liana Ogata (Tustin, Calif.), to grant Bryant the 6-4 advantage heading into the seventh.

The Hornets would score a run in the top of the seventh but Madsen shut the door, earning the victory in 1.2 innings of relief. Freshman Logan Paul (Shaker Heights, Ohio) earned the start for the Black and Gold, allowing only four runs on 13 hits in 5.1 innings of work.

GAME 2

In the second leg of the Saturday's triple header, Madsen threw an absolute gem, allowing just two runs on four hits in six innings of work, but the offense struggled to string hits together resulting in a 2-1 loss to IUPUI.

The Jaguars (14-4) struck first in the bottom of the second on a Megan Cory ground out to take the 1-0 lead after two. In the fourth, Madsen helped herself with one of Bryant's three hits in the game sending a solo shot over the outfield fence to knot the game, 1-1, however it was not enough as an Ali Mosier solo home run in the bottom of sixth proved to be the difference in the contest.

GAME 3

In the final contest of Saturday's marathon day, the Bulldogs fell to Southern Utah, 9-1, to conclude a long day in San Luis Obispo.

The Thunderbirds jumped out to an early three run lead in the bottom of the first behind three-straight hits in the middle of the inning and that was all the offense they needed as the lone Bryant run came in the top of the fifth off an Alexandra Page (Grafton, Mass.) RBI single to center.

Southern Utah added a run in the bottom of the fifth and five more in the sixth cap off the 9-1 victory.