Houseal, Hart lead Bryant in Yale sweep

SMITHFIELD, R.I. –Senior co-captain Samantha Houseal (Mount Joy, Pa.) and sophomore Brittany Hart (North Andover, Mass.) combined for 13 strikeouts and allowed just one run in the doubleheader, as the Bryant University softball team swept Yale University Saturday afternoon for the team's third win in a row.

Despite getting outhit in the early game, 7-4, the Bulldogs (5-10) posted a four-run sixth inning, propelling the visitors to the 6-1 victory. Yale (6-6) was held scoreless in the second outing and allowed three runs in the last two innings, as the visiting Bulldogs completed the Saturday sweep with the 3-0 W.

Houseal took the mound for the Bulldogs in game one and orchestrated her best outing of the young season, allowing just seven hits while striking out a season-high nine batters in 7.0 innings of work. Houseal retired five of the first six batters on strikes and walked just two of the 28 Elis she faced.

Laura Bowen (Hudson, Mass.) opened the day with a lead-off home run over the left-field fence to give the Bulldogs an early 1-0 edge. The Massachusetts native's homer was her second of the season and third lead-off long ball in the last two seasons.

After failing to put up a run in the first three innings, the host Elis evened up the score, 1-1, with a RBI single in the bottom of the fourth by Meg Johnson.

Bryant's offense, which was held scoreless for four innings after Bowen's homer, enjoyed an offensive explosion in the top of the sixth inning. Despite recording just one hit, the Bulldogs tallied four runs as Bowen once again started the rally after reaching base on an error. Bowen would advance to second and on to third after an Aubrey Mable (Aurora, Colo.) sacrifice bunt.

Still in the sixth, the defensive struggles continued for Yale as Kendall Corder (Carmichael, Calif.) reached first on an error by the shortstop, allowing Bowen to pick up her second run in the outing. Talia Zizza (Reading, Mass.) and Taylor Bell (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) both reached base on balls, setting up a base clearing double from Lauren McCart (Voorhees, N.J.) to give Bryant the 5-1 edge.

The Bulldogs would add an insurance run in the top of the seventh on the bat of Mable, as the Colorado native recorded her first RBI of the game with a double down the left field line.

Houseal would close the door in the bottom of the seventh after recording her ninth strikeout of the game and forcing two groundouts to give the Bulldogs the 6-1 victory.

Hart would complete the nice one-two punch for the Bryant pitching staff, retiring the side in the first two innings of the second game, en route to throwing the complete-game shutout.

Contrary to the early game, the Bryant offense was held without a hit for the first three frames and only managed to record one run through six innings of play. Lauren Guy's (La Habra, Calif.) doubled to center field and proceeded to third after a sacrifice bunt by Bowen, giving the Bulldogs a runner in scoring position for the first time in the game. Guy would touch home plate after a wild pitch by Yale's Chelsey Dunham to put the Bulldogs up, 1-0, at the end of six.

The visiting side would push the lead out to three, as the Bulldogs engineered a  two-run three-hit seventh inning. McCart got things started with a single to right field and would eventually cross home plate courtesy of a RBI single by Lindsay Martin (Methuen, Mass.). Guy would finish what she started with a RBI double to centerfield, sealing the 3-0 win for Bryant.

The Bulldogs return to action Wednesday, March 23 with a road trip to intrastate rival Providence College. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. and fans can check results at www.bryantbulldogs.com.