Bulldogs face two-straight one-run deficits, fall to Bobcats, 4-3 and 3-2, in North Carolina

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After nearly coming from behind in game one and leading through four innings in game two, the Bryant University softball team were dealt back-to-back one-run losses by Ohio at the NC State DoubleTree RDU Invite.

Game One

The Bulldogs (0-20) were first on the board, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. With two outs and runners on second and third, sophomore Rachel Monroe (Southwick, Mass.) singled through the right side, freeing up senior Elle Madsen (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) to run in for the score.

The Bobcats (15-7) didn't waste any time, answering the Bulldogs in the second half of the inning, as Michaela Dorsey doubled to right center, plating Sloan Walker for the 1-1 tying run. The Bryant defense held tough, fielding routine pop ups to record the final two outs of the inning, which allowed the Bulldogs to escape  with only one run and three Bobcats left on base.

The top of the third saw strong pitching from Danielle Stiene, as the sophomore struck out two Bulldogs swinging, helping the Bobcats prevent Bryant from a single hit. In the bottom half of the inning with one out, Mikayla Cooper homered down the left field line, giving Ohio its first lead of the contest, 2-1.

The Bobcats built on their lead, taking a two-run advantage in the bottom of the fifth when a base hit sent the runner in for the score. With two outs and runners on first and second, Amanda Dalton singled down the left field line, plating Alex Day to push the score to 3-1 after five innings of play.

Ohio continued their momentum into the sixth, taking a 4-1 lead, after Casie Hutchinson's sacrifice fly allowed Taylor Saxton to run in for the score.

The Bulldogs mounted a comeback in the final innings, finding back-to-back scores to pull them within one, 4-3. Freshman Kaleigh Goulart (Marion, Mass.) started things off in the top of the seventh, singling to third base, before Madsen doubled to center field. With one out, senior Hayley Bottino (Canyon Country, Calif.) recorded an RBI, as her sacrifice fly plated Goulart and allowed Madsen to advance to third for the 4-2 score. On the ensuing play, Madsen scored off a wild pitch to bring Bryant within one, 4-3. The Bulldogs were unable to find the tying run, as Bryant's final batter struck out swinging, ending the game, 4-3, in Ohio's favor.

The Bobcats found three runs of eight hits against starting pitcher Logan Paul (Shaker Heights, Ohio) in the sophomore's five innings on the mound. Freshman Colby Norris (Toano, Va.) came in to pitch the final inning, letting up one run off two hits. Stiene recorded the win for the Bobcats on the mound, as she struck out eight Bulldogs, while allowing three runs off five hits in the contest.

Game Two

Bryant found a 2-0 lead, scoring in each of the first two innings and were able to maintain the advantage through the fourth. In the top of the first with two outs and runners on first and third, junior Taylor Burger (Killingworth, Conn.) reached first on a wild pitch, which freed Goulart to score from third to help the Bulldogs to a 1-0 lead.

Senior Liana Ogata (Tustin, Calif.) singled down the right field line, allowing junior Haylee Haas (Moorpark, Calif.) to run in for the score with two outs in the top of the second to push Bryant's lead to two, 2-0.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Bobcats got going, finding two runs off two hits to tie the game, 2-2. With one out and the bases loaded, Cooper doubled to right center, plating Day and Saxton for the game-tying scores.

Both sides' defenses held through the sixth, as neither team allowed a single hit. The Bulldogs were unable to find success at the plate in the top of the seventh and were forced to try to push the game to extra innings. With a chance to do so, the Bobcats took advantage of only one out and the bases loaded, when Dalton singled through the left side, allowing Cooper to trot in for the game-winning run, 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh.

Norris pitched the first 4.1 innings for the Bulldogs, allowing two runs off six hits, while recording two strike outs. Madsen came in to relieve Norris, recording the loss in the last 2.1 innings, after letting up a single run off four hits. Morgan Geno pitched all seven innings for the Bobcats, striking out two batters, while giving up two runs off three hits.