Bryant splits with CCSU Wednesday

NEW BRITAIN, CONN. – The Bryant University softball team split with Central Connecticut Wednesday afternoon during an NEC doubleheader. The Bulldogs blanked the Blue Devils in game one, 5-0, before falling in game two, 7-4.

GAME INFORMATION
Bryant 5, Central Connecticut 0
Central Connecticut 7, Bryant 4
Location: CCSU Softball Field (New Britain, Conn.)
W|L|S: Gabrielle Ermish (W, 7-9) | Kari Marks (L, 3-6)
W|L|S: Ashley Antonazzo (W, 7-9) | Gabrielle Ermish (L, 7-10)

COACH FRENCH'S COMMENTS

"We got a great effort from Gabi in game one as she really pitched tremendously. Credit to Central in game two because they made a couple of adjustments and jumped out to an early lead. Our kids never stopped fighting, we just couldn't get the big hit. We left the bases loaded four times and had the tying run at the plate in the seventh, so we had our chances." 

KEY MOMENT GM1

• Bryant scored all of the offense it needed in the third inning when Gabrielle Ermish (Pottstown, Pa.) drove home two runs with a base hit to left field.

HOW IT HAPPENED GM1

• With the bases loaded in the top of the third, Ermish popped the ball over Central's shortstop to drive in the first two runs of the game, 2-0.
• Senior Jessica Gradillas (Nogales. Ariz.) followed Ermish with another pair of RBIs by sending it to the left field fence. The Blue Devils were unable to make the catch, sending two more Bulldogs home, 4-0.
• In the top of the sixth, Carlyn Hernandez (Cypress, Calif.) entered the lineup as a pinch hitter for Morgan Powell (Murrieta, Calif.). Hernandez smacked a 3-2 pitch to the second basemen with the bases loaded to bring in Toni Camarillo (Corona, Calif.), 5-0.

STATS GM1

• Junior Tiffany Bell (Egg Harbor City, N.J.) led the Bulldogs with two hits in four plate appearances.
• Ermish led on the offensive and defensive ends. On offense, Ermish drove in two runs batting one-for-three. On defense, Ermish pitched a complete game shutout while striking out ten batters.
• Gradillas also tallied two RBIs.
• Jenna Cali (Franklinville, N.J.) and Powell each compiled one stolen base apiece.

KEY MOMENT GM2

• Central Connecticut pulled away with a four-run second inning. The Blue Devils first hit a two-run bomb before notching two RBI-doubles.

HOW IT HAPPENED GM2

• Carli Backlund sent the ball over the fence for a solo home run for the first run of the game, 1-0, in the bottom of the first.
• The Blue Devils notched back-to-back hits to centerfield to bring in the second run.
• Camarillo cut the deficit in half with a base hit up the middle with runners on first and second. Camarillo's hit sent Gradillas racing home, 2-1.
• Central Connecticut compiled four runs in the bottom of the second. First, the Blue Devils hit a two-run homer before compiling back-to-back RBI-doubles, 6-1.
• Central placed a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the fourth before an RBI-single to the centerfield gap drove in its seventh run, 7-1.
• The Bulldogs filled the bases in the top of the fifth. Hernandez drew a walk to bring in a run followed by Camarillo who drove in another with a single to left field, 7-3.
• In an attempt to come back in the seventh inning, Marianna Politis (Arcadia, Calif.) hit a leadoff double to the left field fence. Camarillo moved Politis over to third with a ground out before Gianna Ceccarelli (Claremont, Calif.) smacked an RBI-single to left field, 7-4.

STATS GM2

• Camarillo produced two runs batting two-of-four in game two.
• Ceccarelli went a perfect two-for-two driving in a run and scoring once.
• Politis notched a double in her lone hit of the day.
• Ermish started the first 1.1 innings compiling one strikeout and five hits.
• Senior Colby Norris (Toano, Va.) relieved Ermish tossing the next 2.2 innings. Norris struck out one, walked one, and gave up five hits.
• Sophomore Sarah McKeveny (Bohemia, N.Y.) closed out the final two innings without giving up a hit. McKeveny struck out four and walked one.  

GAME NOTES

• Ermish shattered her career-high with 10 strikeouts. Previously, Ermish struck out seven against Iona during her freshman campaign.
• The Bulldogs fall to 10-11 all-time against CCSU.

UP NEXT
Bryant travels to LIU Brooklyn to make up its last Northeast Conference doubleheader. Game times are set for 1 and 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 4 in Brooklyn, N.Y.