LATE INNING HEROICS LEAD BULLDOG SOFTBALL TO DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP OF AIC SUNDAY

Late Inning Heroics Lift Bulldogs to Doubleheader Sweep of AIC Sunday

April 6, 2008      Game 1 Box / Game 2 Box

Kate Thomas

Springfield, Mass. - The Bryant Bulldogs pulled out a pair of hard-earned victories over American International College Sunday afternoon thanks to late inning offense and the continued strong pitching of Janine Enos (Wareham, Mass.) and Samantha Houseal (Mount Joy, PA).

After allowing two runs in the bottom of the seventh  of game one to tie the game, the Bulldogs were bailed out by their offense 3-2. In game two, the Bulldogs were shut down by Sarah Swepston for five innings before pushing across runs in the sixth and seventh for a 2-1 victory.

The senior Enos shut the Jackets down for six innings before surrendering a pair of runs in the seventh of the first game. Enos (8-3) picked up the win when Kate Thomas (Bedford, NH) knocked in the winning run in the top of the eighth. Houseal finished the game, earning her first career save for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs got on the board first on a Stephanie Mirando (North Haven, CT) RBI single and Alison Chouinard (Swansea, Mass.) knocked her first home run of the season in the sixth.

In the second game, Houseal started and held the Jackets to just one run in seven innings to take the win. The Bulldogs fell behind in the second on a home run by Tara DeMontier and were held in check by Swepston until the sixth.

In the sixth, catcher Ashley Coon knocked a bases-loaded single to score pinch runner Jenna Jeffrey (Scarborough, ME) with the tying run. An inning later, Jessica Valentini (Cliffside Park, NJ) singled home Thomas with the go-ahead run. Houseal retired the side in order to secure the victory and propel Bryant to a 10-0 start in Northeast-10 Conference play.

Coon finished the game 2 for 3 with the RBI and junior 1B Anne Dobmeier (Buffalo, NY) knocked three hits to raise her team-leading batting average to .340. Thomas continued her strong offensive play as well. The reigning NE-10 player of the week was 2 of 6 with 2 RBI and a run scored on the afternoon.

The Bulldogs will return to action with Stonehill this Wednesday at the Bryant Softball Complex in Smithfield. Game time is scheduled for 3:00pm.