Jaguars and Wolfpack hand Bulldogs back-to-back losses at NC State DoubleTree RDU Invite

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University softball team was dealt back-to-back losses by IUPUI, 1-0, and North Carolina State University, 4-1, on Friday at the NC State DoubleTree RDU Invite.

Game One

The Bulldogs (0-18) opened up play in Raleigh, N.C. against IUPUI, falling, 1-0, to the Jaguars (8-14). The contest marked the sixth game of the season that the Black and Gold fell to an opponent by a single score.

The Jaguars found the only run of the contest in the top of the second, with two out and runners on second and third. On a passed ball, Ali Mosier advanced to third and Maggie Good came in for the 1-0 Jaguar advantage.

The Bulldogs struggled on offense, as junior Haylee Haas (Moorpark, Calif.) rattled off the team's only hit of the game. Freshman Colby Norris (Toano, Va.) got the start of the mound for the Black and Gold, allowing only one run off two hits, while striking out three Jaguars in all seven innings. Kaitlynn Moody recorded her second win of the season, pitching the first five innings, where she allowed only one hit and struck out five Bulldogs. Nickole Finch pitched the final two innings, earning the save with the help of a strike out in the bottom of the sixth.

Game Two

The Bulldogs faced host school N.C. State in game two, where the Wolfpack (14-12) handed the Bulldogs their second loss of the day, 4-1.

Bryant took a 1-0 lead in the first, which accounted for the sixth time they have scored in the opening inning this season. With two outs and a runner on second, junior Taylor Burger (Killingworth, Conn.) singled up the middle, platting Haas for the Bulldogs only score of the game.

The Wolfpack answered back in the bottom of the first with two outs, scoring the tying and go-ahead runs when Hanna Sommer singled to right center to drive in Molly Hutchinson and Tyler Ross for the 2-1 NCSU lead. Senior Elle Madsen (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) ended the host's chances in the first, striking out the next batter looking. Madsen finished the contest with three strike outs in her six innings on the mound.

Leading off in the second, Madsen found the only hit for the Bulldogs in the inning, as Bryant came up scoreless in the inning and the rest of the game. In the bottom of the inning, the Wolfpack extended their lead when Hannah Yeager homered to right field on her first at-bat of the game to make it 3-1. Later in the inning with two outs and the bases loaded, Madsen walked Maggie Hawkins, forcing Macauley Prickett in for the Wolfpack, 4-1, edge.

The Wolfpack maintained their margin through the final five innings, holding the Bulldogs to three hits in the concluding innings. On the reverse, Bryant prevented the home team to more runs, limiting the Wolfpack to one hit in the last 2.5 innings.

Madsen pitched all seven innings for Bryant, letting up four runs off five hits. Harli Hubbard allowed one run off six hits in her 6.2 innings on the mound for the Wolfpack, before Brittany Nimmo came in for the save, striking out one batter in the final 0.1 innings on the mound.

The Bulldogs wrap up play at the NC State DoubleTree RDU Invite, as they take on Ohio, tomorrow at 10 a.m.