BULLDOGS FALL 10-2 IN FIVE INNINGS AT INTRASTATE RIVAL PROVIDENCE TUESDAY
April 20, 2010
BULLDOGS FALL 10-2 IN FIVE INNINGS AT INTRASTATE RIVAL PROVIDENCE TUESDAY
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Coming off three consecutive wins last week, the Bryant University softball team was unable to make it four in-a-row as Providence College pitcher Danielle Bertolette threw a complete-game one-hitter on Tuesday afternoon as the Friars defeated the Bulldogs by a margin of 10-2 in five innings of non-conference play.
The four wins in a row would have been a Division I record for the Bulldog as they drop to 7-30 overall. Bertolette picked up her fourth win of the season and improved the Friars to 15-22 overall.
The Friars opened the scoring in the bottom half of the second inning with the help of junior pitcher Sami Houseal (Mount Joy, Pa.). Houseal, who just recently picked up her first victory of the season, hit two Providence batters in the inning.
After hitting the leadoff batter, PC’s Jenna Garcia advanced the runner to second on a sacrifice bunt. Houseal followed by hitting the next Friar to put runners on first and second with one out. Providence managed to load the bases and draw a walk to score the first run of the game. PC’s Michelle Huber followed with a single to plate another runner and give the Friars a 2-0 lead after two innings. Huber was 3-3 in the game with two runs and four RBIs.
The lone Bryant hit came from sophomore Laura Bowen (Hudson, Mass.) on a leadoff single to left in the third inning. However, the Bulldogs were unable to plate the second baseman as the next three batters were retired in succession.
Providence added three more in the bottom of the fourth, highlighted by a Huber homerun to center field, to take a 5-0 lead after four innings of play.
The Bulldogs were able to get on the board in the top of the fifth as sophomore Lindsay Martin (Methuen, Mass.) reached base on an error by the third baseman to leadoff the frame. Junior Regi Burdo (Wayne, Pa.) moved Martin over on her fourth sacrifice bunt of the season and the Black and Gold loaded the bases with back-to-back walks drawn by Bowen and Kate Murray (Fitchburg, Mass.).
Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week Brittany Lischinsky (Mahopac, N.Y.) followed by drawing a walk of her own and earning the only Bulldog RBI of the game as Martin came in to score. Once again, the Friars helped the Bulldogs plate their second run of the inning as Garcia, the PC shortstop, was unable to field Ashley Coon’s (Levittown, Pa.) grounder, enabling Bowen to come around for the run to cut the margin to 5-2 after four and a half innings of play.
After scoring one run following a series of singles, Providence loaded the bases for their best hitter, Justine Stratton. The Fresno, California native hit a walk-off grand slam to put PC up eight runs and end things early on Raymond Field with a 10-2 victory in five innings. Stratton was 2-4 on the day with four RBIs.
PC’s Bertolette pitched all five innings, allowed just one hit and no earned runs. She also struck out five in the outing.
In addition to the only Bryant hit, Bowen also drew two walks in the contest and upped her team-leading batting average to .346 and on base percentage to .453.
The Black and Gold return to action on Thursday when they face Ivy League affiliate, Brown University. The Bears defeated the Bulldogs 5-4 earlier in the season.