Guy drives Bryant past Long Island

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Jennifer Jacob (Deer Park, N.Y.) and Samantha Houseal (Mount Joy, Pa) tossed back-to-back complete games while Lauren Guy (La Habra, Calif.) went a combined 5-for-7, as the Bryant University softball team trumped Long Island University, 6-5 and 9-1, Friday afternoon in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The Bulldogs (23-16, 12-4) have now tripled their conference win total from a year ago after knocking off the 2010 Northeast Conference Champion Blackbirds (13-31, 4-8) for the first time in program history. The Bulldogs are now 13-6 on the road with the sweep and have won six of the last seven outings.

Senior slinger Samantha Houseal (Mount Joy, Pa.) twirled her 14th complete game of the season while hurling three Ks and allowing one walk in the one-run win. On the offensive side, the Bulldogs were highly efficient, converting five hits into five runs to move to 11-4 in league play this season.

In the opener, the Bulldogs broke open a 3-3 game with three runs in the top of the fifth inning off freshman starter Heather White.  Aubrey Mable (Aurora, Colo.) got things started by reaching first after being hit by a pitch with one out in the inning. 

Amy Weinberg (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) would draw a walk to put two runners on.  After Kendall Corder (Carmichael, Calif.) flied out, Lindsay Martin (Methuen, Mass.) drew another walk to load the bases.

The Blackbirds would go to the bullpen for junior Sarah Reynolds to face Kate Murray (Fitchburg, Mass.), but a wild pitch by Reynolds got away from catcher Emily Kakuska allowing Mable to score from third with the go-ahead run.

A throwing error on a grounder to shortstop by Murray allowed Weinberg to score to make it 5-3, Bryant. But another wild pitch by Reynolds brought Martin home with the third run of the inning.  Reynolds would get out of the jam by fanning Lauren McCart (Voorhees, N.J.) to end the inning, but with Bulldogs out in front 6-3.

The Blackbirds would get a pair back in the bottom half of the sixth inning against Bulldog starter Samantha Houseal (Mount Joy, Pa.). Brianna Melero led off the inning with a single to the gap in left but a nice play by Mable at short would get Malero at second on a grounder by Sterling Hoham.

A single and infield error by the Bulldogs would load the bases for Megan Sheaf who would deliver a single to center to score Hoham from third.  LIU would add make it a one-run game on another infield error, but Houseal and the Bulldogs would get out of the inning with the lead intact as the senior righty got Lindsey Walker to hit a grounder to third where Regina Burdo (Wayne, Pa.) managed to corral in and step on the base for the force out.

From there, the Bulldogs would cruise as Houseal retired the Blackbirds in order to pick up her 13th win of the season.

Mable, Corder, Martin, Murray and Burdo accounted for the Bryant hits in the game with Mable scoring twice in the victory.

In the nightcap, the Bulldogs jumped out quickly on the Blackbirds, giving starting pitcher Jennifer Jacob (Deer Park, N.Y.) a 3-0 lead right off the bat.  Guy got things started with a single to left and took second on a passed ball.  After Martin drew a walk, Mable belted a double to plate Guy with the first run of the game.

Corder would make it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to center to score Martin. A heads up play by Mable allowed the freshman to take third base on the throw and the move paid dividends as she would hustle and score on a double steal to make it 3-0.

LIU would scratch across a run in the second after Liz Walker reached first on an error by the Bryant infield.

The Bulldogs would distant themselves once again in the top of the fourth, when Laura Bowen (Hudson, Mass.) recorded a single up the middle on the pay off pitch to lead off the frame. Bowen would make her way into scoring position after a single by Murray to left field. With two on and two out, Guy drove Bowen home on an 0-2 pitch for the  team's fourth run of the outing. Lindsay Martin followed up with a knock to centerfield, bringing home Guy for the 5-1 lead.

Jacob would continue to wheel and deal from the circle, allowing just three hits over the last four innings en route to picking up her third win of the season. The right handed New York native finished the outing with five Ks and just three walks in her third complete game in 2011.

Bryant would tack on four insurance runs in the last two innings, with Mable and Amy Weinberg (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) chipping in with RBI singles. Guy would pick up her second and third RBI on the day in the top of the seventh, driving home Lauren McCart and Kristen Carter for the 9-1 lead.

Jacob would go the distance and close the door in the bottom half for Bryant's third-straight win. Guy went a perfect 4-for4 from the dish with three RBIs, giving the rookie from the West coast 15 on the season.

The Bulldogs look to continue their winning ways at Central Connecticut on Saturday, April 23. First pitch of the twinbill is slated for 1:00 p.m., and fans can follow live stats at www.bryantbulldogs.com.