Bulldogs drop two against Quinnipiac

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Brittany Hart (North Andover, Mass.) and Samantha Houseal (Mount, Joy, Pa.) tossed back-to-back complete games, allowing a combined five earned runs, but the Bryant University softball team could not hold off Quinnipiac University lineup, as the Bulldogs dropped both games in Sunday's doubleheader at the Softball Complex.

Bryant (17-14, 7-3) dropped the first outing to the Bobcats (22-16, 6-2), 4-2, and fell in the late game, 6-3, in the Northeast Conference doubleheader.

Houseal took the circle in the early contest, allowing the game's first run in the top of the first on an illegal pitch.

Facing a one-run deficit the Bulldogs responded with the long ball, as rookie Lauren Guy (La Habra, Calif.) stepped into the batters' box and went yard over the right field fence  for her first career home run in a Bryant uniform.

Tied at 1-1, Quinnipiac would place runners on first and third with two outs and push a run across home plate on the call of another illegal pitch.

The visiting side would then push the lead out to three in the top of the fourth, as Jacqueline Ristow connected on a two-out two-run double, lifting the Bobcats to a 4-1 advantage heading into the fifth.

For the second time in the outing, Bryant recorded a lead-off home run, this time Lindsay Martin (Methuen, Mass.) trotted the bases with a solo-shot over the fence in left field, cutting the lead to 4-2.

Quinnipiac pitcher Heather Schwartzburg would finish what she had started and retired the side in the final two innings for the 4-2 victory.

With the loss, Houseal threw four strikeouts and issued one walk but moved to 9-6 on the season. The righty is now 36 strikeouts short of setting the program mark for career K's.

The Bulldogs were outhit 7-3 in the outing, while Guy, Martin and Aubrey Mable (Aurora, Colo.) represented the offensive output, with one hit each.

In the late contest, The Bulldogs moved out to an early 1-0 lead after Laura Bowen Hudson, Mass.) took second base, and then third and eventually home on a series of wild pitches by the Quinnipiac staff.

Hart retired the side in the first and dealt two K's in the first three innings. The Massachusetts native was finally tagged, as the Bobcat's lineup came alive in the top of the fourth with two runs on three hits.

After a pitching change by the Bobcats, Bryant cashed in another score in the bottom of the fourth, tying the score at 2-2. This time it was Houseal who picked up her first run of the season after crossing home plate on an illegal pitch.

Both sides would exchange runs in the fifth, as Amy Weinberg (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) knocked an one-out double to centerfield, her second of the season, putting a runner in scoring position for Martin. The center fielder would then deliver with a single right back up the middle of the diamond, allowing pinch runner Kristen Carter (Branchville, N.J.) to slide across home plate for the 3-3 tie.

Despite the comeback, Quinnipiac separated themselves with three runs in the top of the sixth and never looked back en route to the 6-3 victory.

Hart moves to 7-6 on the season after dealing six K's and allowing one walk in 7.0 innings of work.

The Bulldogs look to bounce back Wednesday, April 13 with a mid-week matchup at Boston University. First pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m. and fans can follow live stats at www.bryantbulldogs.com.