Bottino's 3-for-3 in game one helps Bulldogs to 5-1 win over Mount, Bryant loses game two, 3-0

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Hayley Bottino (Canyon, Country, Calif.) went 3-for-3 in game one of Bryant University softball's doubleheader against Mount St. Mary's, finishing with two doubles and three RBIs in the Bulldogs' 5-1 game one victory, before the Mount bounced back to win game two, 3-0.

Game One

With two outs and the bases loaded, Bottino rocketed a double to center field on a 1-1 count, driving freshman Kaleigh Goulart (Marion, Mass.) and junior Taylor Burger (Killingworth, Conn.) in for the Bulldogs' (6-27, 5-3 NEC) 2-0 advantage over the Mount (11-27, 3-5).

The Bulldogs went on to score a run in three consecutive innings, beginning with Bottino's second double of the day, this time to left center, plating Goulart for the home team's 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third.

The Black and Gold added three more hits and a run in the bottom of the fourth when freshman Jessica Gradillas's (Nogales, Ariz.) single up the middle allowed sophomore Rachel Monroe (Southwick, Mass.) to trot in from third, making it 4-0 in Bryant's favor.

The bottom of the fifth saw another Bulldogs' run, as senior Elle Madsen (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) singled to left field which led to an error by the left fielder, allowing freshman Jenna Cali (Franklinville, N.J.) to score from second unearned.

The Mount was able to garner one run off three hits in the top of the sixth, when Holly Buckel's single to center permitted Rachel Heinze to score from second, but that was all the visitors could muster up, as Bryant walked away with the 5-1 win in game one.

Madsen went 2-for-3 and recorded the Bulldogs' win on the mound, striking out six batters while managing only one run off six hits in 7.0 innings. Sam Lichtner pitched the loss in 2.1 innings, letting up three runs off three hits with no strikeouts.

Game Two

Both teams stayed quiet offensively through the first two innings, until a Bryant error in the top of the third allowed Shea McFarland to score the Mount's go-ahead run to make it 1-0. The Bryant slip-ups didn't end there, as the team finished with four errors, two of which led to Mount St. Mary's scores.

Through the next three innings, the Mount limited the Bulldogs to one hit, in part to outstanding defensive plays, including a catch on the run by center fielder Jessica Greenewald and a diving play by left fielder Rachel Heinze.

Mount St. Mary's continued to make contact, as Marian Ruf doubled just inside the left field foul pole, scoring on an error by the left fielder, 2-0, before Emilee Kirk doubled to center field to start things off in the top of the seventh. Back-to-back doubles prompted a pitching change, as Bottino checked in on the mound for the Bulldogs. Two batters later, Kirk scored off Marisa Mayes's single down the right field line, finding the Mount's third and final run of the game, 3-0.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Black and Gold were unable to covert sophomore Robyn Ukegawa's (Carlsbad, Calif.) double to left center into any scores and a ground out to the shortstop ended game two in Mount's favor, 3-0.

Madsen recorded the loss on the mound in her 6.0 innings, throwing four strikeouts, while allowing three runs off five hits. Ruf earned the Mount's win, pitching all 7.0 innings where she held the Bulldogs scoreless off two hits, while striking out three batters.