SOFTBALL FALLS TO MONMOUTH IN 2010 SEASON FINALE THURSDAY
May 6, 2010
SOFTBALL FALLS TO MONMOUTH IN 2010 SEASON FINALE THURSDAY
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Vying for the second seed in the Northeast Conference Softball Tournament, the Monmouth University Hawks were able to squeak by the Bryant University softball team in both games of doubleheader action Thursday afternoon at the Bryant Softball Complex. Monmouth nipped the Bulldogs 3-2 in game one and 5-2 in the night cap.
| The 2010 Bryant Softball Seniors |
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The Hawks (28-16, 15-4 NEC) struck first in game one when catcher Jessica Nicola blasted a towering solo homerun to center field off junior Sami Houseal (Mount Joy, Pa.) with two outs. Nicola went 2-2 in game one.
The Bulldogs (8-37, 4-16 NEC) leveled the score at one apiece in the bottom of the third with a little small ball. Sophomore Lauren McCart (Voorhees, N.J.) singled to left center to lead off the inning and junior Regi Burdo (Wayne, Pa.) advanced her two second on a sacrifice bunt. Following a Laura Bowen (Hudson, Mass.) single to right center that moved McCart over to third, the second baseman go in a run down between first and second on the next pitch which allowed McCart to run home and tie the game at one apiece after three innings.
Freshman Brittany Lischinsky (Mahopac, N.Y.) gave Bryant a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning with a solo homer to left field. It was the freshman's second homerun of her career. She went 2-3 in the game.
The Hawks were able to retake the lead, 3-2, in the top of the sixth inning with back-to-back sacrifice flies to right field and would hold on to win by that margin.
Houseal pitched well for BU, throwing five strong innings, allowing just three hits and two runs. However, Monmouth's Melissa Mehrer held Bryant to just four hits over the course of all seven innings. It was Mehrer's 19th complete game of the season.
The Bulldogs got a leadoff homerun from Bowen in the bottom of the first inning of game two but it would not be enough as the Hawks would battle for a 5-2 victory.
Down 5-1 entering the inning, the Bulldogs loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning and scored one run but could not plate anymore as they left three stranded.
Bowen, Lischinsky, McCart, Lindsay Martin (Methuen, Mass.) and senior captain Ashley Coon (Levittown, Pa.) all had one hit in the contest.
It was Coon's last game as a Bulldog as well as senior captain Ali Chouinard (Swansea, Mass.) and senior Kim Leonard (Milford, Mass.).
With the wins, the Hawks clinch second place in the conference tournament. The other three teams are Long Island, Quinnipiac and Robert Morris.
The Black and Gold wrap-up its second year at the Division I level with an 8-37 overall mark and a 4-16 conference record.
Check back soon for a season recap.