Softball Falls to UMass-Lowell 8-4 in Rollercoaster Opener at NE-10 Tournament
Bulldogs Face Elimination after Opening Loss to UMass-Lowell
May 4, 2007
SYRACUSE, NY - The Bulldogs' defense of their 2005 and 2006 Northeast-10 Conference Tournament championships got off to rocky start as they dropped a rollercoaster opening game to UMass-Lowell 8-4.
Bryant starter Nikki Ingalls (Westford, Mass.) immediately ran into trouble in the first inning.
The leadoff hitter, Vikki Guido, legged out an infield single before advancing to second on a passed ball and third on a sacrifice bunt. Ingalls then hit Jacquel Guanci and Stacy Lajoie reached on an wild throw from Ingalls that pulled first baseman Briana Durborow (Ringoes, NJ) off the bag.
However, Ingalls then got Laurie Tanguay to hit into a 1-2-3 double play to get out of trouble.
Ingalls, though wouldn't be as lucky in the fifth when Guido knocked a 2-run, 2-out home run to right center to give the Riverhawks a 3-0 lead.
The Bulldogs nearly got the run back in the bottom of the inning, when pinch-runner Kimberly Breton (Leominster, Mass.) scored on an apparent errant throw to first base, but after a conference, the umpires decided that Durborow was out at first and the run was taken off the board.
The Riverhawks were able to push across another run in the sixth on another clutch 2-out hit. This time Katelyn Hebert laced a double over left fielder Lindsay Connor's head in left field.
Riverhawk starter Kristen Mahoney was excellent, shutting out the Bulldogs for the first five innings.
The Bulldogs finally broke through in the sixth, when Amanda Wilbur (Lakeville, Mass.) stroked an RBI single that scored Lindsay Connor (West Haven, CT).
Mahoney then got Alison Chouinard (Swansea, Mass.) out before Ashley Coon (Fairless Hills, PA) knocked an RBI single up the middle. Wilbur, running from first, got hung up between second and third. The centerfielder Guido then threw home where Amanda Gagne (Wilbraham, Mass.) was sprinting home. The throw was wild and Gagne and Wilbur both came across. When the dust settled Coon was standing at third base.
Stephanie Mirando (North Haven, CT) then knocked in Coon with the tying run, and pinch-hitter Jennifer Serrano (Stoneham, Mass.) singled to put two on with two outs. However, Mahone was able to get out of trouble with a strikeout of pinch-hitter Anne Dobmeier (Buffalo, NY).
The lead proved to be short-lived, the Riverhawks rallied, Guido lined the 11th pitch of a tough at-bat into left field to score the go-ahead run. The Riverhawks then loaded the bases with no outs. Heather Ross scored a run on a groundout before Mahoney plated two more after an RBI single scooted through right fielder Gagne's legs and left the Hawks with an 8-4 lead and Mahoney at third.
Offensive star Guido came in to pitch in the bottom of the seventh, and ended the game with a stab of Chouinard's line drive.
The Bulldogs now face elimination tomorrow when they face the winner of this afternoon's Southern New Hampshire/Merrimack game tomorrow at 12noon.