Bryant splits doubleheader with LIU Brooklyn as Monroe homers twice

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Rachel Monroe (Southwick, Mass.) homered twice and freshman Sarah McKeveny (Bohemia, N.Y.) had a complete-game victory as the Bryant University softball team split its home-opening doubleheader against Northeast Conference foe LIU Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon at Conaty Park.

GAME INFORMATION

LIU Brooklyn 9, Bryant 8
Bryant 5, LIU Brooklyn 1

Records: LIU Brooklyn 14-17 (2-1) | Bryant 8-19 (2-2)
Location: Conaty Park (Smithfield, R.I.)

W|L|S: Haley Irvis (4-4) | Logan Paul (4-2) | Erynn Sobieski (1)
W|L: Sarah McKeveny (2-7) | Erynn Sobieski (6-8)

COACH LOTITO'S COMMENTS:

"Our offense had a great day today. They put a lot of good balls in play, scored a lot of runs. Our pitchers did a good job of giving us an opportunity to stay in the game. We just have to get better at doing the little things."

KEY MOMENTS (Game 1)

• In the bottom of the seventh inning, sophomore Gabrielle Ermish (Pottstown, Pa.) led the inning off with a solo home run down the right-field line. Two batters later, Monroe added her second home run of the game to bring the Bulldogs within a run.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1)

• LIU Brooklyn got on the board in the first inning with a three-run home run off the bat of Nereyda Gutierrez.
• Bryant added a run in the bottom half, as sophomore Tiffany Bell (Egg Harbor City, N.J.) scored on a passed ball. Bell led the game off reaching base via hit by pitch.
• The Black and Gold put up five runs in the fifth inning. With the bases loaded, junior Jessica Gradillas (Nogales, Ariz.) doubled to center field to plate two runs and knot the game at three. Monroe launched a home run to left field in the following at-bat to give Bryant a 6-3 lead.
• LIU Brooklyn got six back in the sixth inning. Victoria Zamora had an RBI single with one out, while Ryleigh Bermea added a two-run single two batters later. After a walk, Schae Dickson reached on a fielder's choice to score a run from third. Katie Hinkle ended the Bulldog scoring after she reached on an error to score Angie Vazquez and Bermea.

STATS (Game 1)

• Monroe went 2-for-4 with four RBI. She homered in the fifth and seventh innings.
• Ermish went 2-for-4 from the plate, singling in the fifth inning to go along with her seventh-inning blast.
• Gradillas extended her hit-streak to six games in a 2-for-4 performance. She had two RBI in the game.
• Pizzano also had a double for the Bulldogs.
• Sophomore Marianna Politis (Arcadia, Calif.) and freshman Alexandra Hickey (St. John, Ind.) also had hits for the Bulldogs.

KEY MOMENTS (Game 2)

• Already leading 1-0, Monroe doubled to center field to score junior Kaleigh Goulart (Marion, Mass.) to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead. Monroe herself scored after freshman Morgan Powell (Murrieta, Calif.) singled up the middle.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2)

• Bell singled to lead off the game for Bryant in the first inning. Goulart followed with a single, advancing Bell to third on the play. Bell scored the first run of the game after Gradillas lofted a sacrifice fly to right field.
• Ermish led off the third inning with a double to the alley in left-center. After moving to third on a groundout, she scored on an RBI single off the bat freshman Gianna Ceccarelli (Claremont, Calif.). Politis followed with a single to center field, scoring Monroe from third base giving the Black and Gold a 5-0 lead.
• In the sixth inning, Bermea singled through the left side to score Victoria Zamora for LIU Brooklyn's lone run.

STATS (Game 2)

• McKeveny earned her second win of the season after striking out six batters in a complete-game effort. She took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of Saturday's second game.
• Bell and Powell each had multi-hit games for the Bulldogs. Bell singled and tripled in the second inning on a line drive into right-center field. Powell singled in the first and third innings.
• Goulart, Ermish, Monroe, Ceccarelli, and Politis all had hits for Bryant in the game.

GAME NOTES

• Monroe batted .429 across the two games on Saturday. She had two home runs, a double and drove in five runs to ignite the Bulldog offense.
• Bell had two hits, drew to walks and was hit by a pitch to reach base five total times. The sophomore scored three runs on the day.
• Gradillas had three RBI on the day: two in game one after a bases-loaded double and one in the second game after a sacrifice fly.
• LIU Brooklyn is now 11-10 versus Bryant all-time.

UP NEXT

Bryant hosts Wagner tomorrow, April 8, in an NEC doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The Seahawks split a doubleheader versus Central Connecticut on Saturday.