Seniors look to go out on top in finale

GAME INFORMATION
Bryant University (25-17, 14-4 NEC) vs. Sacred Heart University (25-19, 12-6 NEC)
Sunday, May 1 – 12/2 p.m.
Bryant Softball Complex I Smithfield, R.I.
Live Stats / Webcast

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University softball team wraps up its regular season with an opportunity to complete the most epic turnaround in program history and etch their campaign into the Northeast Conference record books. The Bulldogs, who have been ranked first in the NEC since the beginning of league play, control their own destiny as the club looks to capture the 2011 NEC softball regular season crown. With several possible scenarios, the Bulldogs can remove all doubt and secure the No. 1 spot in the league with a pair of wins on what will be the senior day for Samantha Houseal (Mount Joy, Pa.) and Regina Burdo (Wayne, Pa.).

Sunday's game will be aired live on www.bryantbulldogs.tv and fans can follow all the action with live stats at www.bryantbulldogs.com.

Scouting Bryant

The Bulldogs, winners of six of their last eight outings, are coming off a tough 7-3 non-league loss against Connecticut Tuesday afternoon. Bryant enters Sunday's doubleheader with a 14-4 mark and have boasted an 8-3 record at home in 2011. After finishing last in 2010 with an 8-37 overall mark, the Bulldogs are on the door step of completing one of the biggest turnarounds in program history.

In the circle, the Bulldogs have been led by none other than senior ace Samantha Houseal. The righty has delivered for the Bulldogs all season with a personal-best 13 wins and a team-high 89 Ks. Houseal, who will be making her last appearance Sunday in the Black and Gold, sits just 14 strikeouts short of setting the all-time mark set by Janine Enos (439). Joining Houseal in the rotation is sophomore Brittany Hart (North Andover, Mass.) and Jennifer Jacob (Deer Park, N.Y.). The tandem has combined for 12 wins in 34 starts and has totaled five saves, including three in the past two weeks of action.

At the dish, Regina Burdo will be taking her stance for the final time at the Bryant softball complex after engineering her strongest season yet with 12 RBIs and a .264 batting average. The freshmen trio of Aubrey Mable (Aurora, Colo.), Kendall Corder (Carmichael, Calif.) and Lauren guy (La Habra, Calif.) has boosted the lineup in 2011, combining for 60 RBIs including 45 extra-base knocks. Second baseman Laura Bowen (Hudson, Mass.) continues to serve as a constant in the hard-hitting lineup, posting six hits and five runs in the past six outings.

Scouting the Pioneers

Sacred Heart enters Sunday's matchup 12-6 in league play after sweeping Long Island in Saturday's twinbill in Fairfield, Conn. on Senior Day. The Pioneers took the first game 2-0 and picked up the second W with a 7-0 decision over the Blackbirds. With the pair of victories over Long Island, the Pioneers secured a spot in the 2011 Northeast Conference tournament.  Senior Jen Russell and sophomore Nicole Sidor each tossed a pair of three-hit complete game shutouts inside the pitching circle.  Taylor Froelich became the second Pioneer in program history to reach the 200 hit plateau.

On the rubber, SHU is led by Russell and her 14 wins in 24 starts and has compiled an astounding 1.96 ERA in 2011. Sidor, a two-time NEC Pitcher and Player of the Week this season, has contributed with nine wins in 18 starts while ringing up a team-high 144 batters. The one-two punch of Russell and Sidor has combined for 282 Ks while allowing 86 combined earn runs in 272.2 total innings of work.

In the batter's box SHU leans on junior Liz Tsipourtas and her team-best 38 RBIs and seven home runs. Tsipouras has accounted for 31 runs in 2011 and is batting a team-high .409 with a .500 on-base percentage in conference play. Also highlighting the lineup is slugger Courtney Lee and her 36 RBIs. Lee has registered five stolen bases and a .370 batting clip through 44 outings.