Softball falls twice to close Rebel Games

Bulldogs drop two to Wisconsin-Green Bay, Fairfield on Tuesday

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Bryant University softball team could not overcome sluggish starts in both of its contests on Tuesday, as the Bulldogs were defeated against Wisconsin-Green Bay and Fairfield University in their final day of action at the Rebel Spring Games at Oren Brown Park.

The Bulldogs (2-8) were outscored by an 11-2 margin in the first inning alone over both games and could not recover down the stretch, as the Phoenix (3-8) cruised to an early 6-0 lead in the first game before eventually prevailing by a 6-2 margin. Both teams did all of their offensive damage in the first frame before both pitchers settled down over the remainder of the game.

Both squads notched six hits apiece, but untimely errors in the top of the first allowed four unearned runs to score for Green Bay. Hailey Mohrfeld led the game off with a double before the bases eventually were loaded on a walk. Shannon Butts promptly singled up the middle to plate Green Bay's first run of the game before another came in on a fielder's choice in the next at-bat. Another fielding error at third put another Phoenix batter-runner aboard and scored the fourth run of the game, and Green Bay wrapped up the top-half of the first with a sharp single up the middle by Amanda Pozolinski to drive in another pair of unearned runs.

Staring at a 6-0 deficit, the Bulldogs managed to drive in two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Sophomore Lauren Guy (La Habra, Calif.) led things off with a single to left and eventually was driven in three batters later on an RBI base hit from classmate Amy Weinberg (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.). Before the inning was over, sophomore Aubrey Mable (Aurora, Colo.) crossed the plate on a fielder's choice to cut the deficit to 6-2.

But that was the last offensive output by either squad over the remaining six innings, as Bulldog pitcher Jennifer Jacob (Deer Park, N.Y.) kept the Phoenix at bay for the rest of the game. The junior hurler allowed two earned runs over seven innings of action while striking out a season-high four batters while walking three. Phoenix pitcher Ashley Nanneman picked up the win by scattering an identical six hits and allowing two runs while striking out three and issuing one free pass.

Bryant had its opportunities to make it a game, but the Black and Gold stranded six runners in total. In the fourth, the Bulldogs had a first-and-third, two-out situation but could not cut into the four-run deficit. Bryant had two runners on again in the bottom of the seventh but could not capitalize, as the score after the first completed inning wound up holding as the final score of the game.

After picking up one last game for the Rebel Games slate following several rainouts on Sunday, Bryant returned to the field for a late-afternoon affair against the Stags (8-5), but once again, inconsistency in the early goings doomed the Bulldogs before they had a turn at the plate.

Fairfield notched five runs in the top of the fifth on six hits – including a suicide squeeze bunt to plate a run – to take the early lead. On the offensive side, Bryant did not muster a hit during their first three innings at the plate, as the Stags maintained a 5-0 cushion entering the fourth.

Fairfield continued to build on its lead by manufacturing a run in the fourth following a leadoff double to make it a 6-0 game. In the bottom half of the inning, Bryant finally woke up the bats with a pair of hits from Mable and junior Kate Murray (Fitchburg, Mass.) to load the bases with one away, but Fairfield reliever Emily Orr induced back-to-back outs to escape from the jam unscathed. Adding insult to injury, the Stags tacked on six more runs off of as many hits in the top of the fifth to take a commanding 12-0 lead. Jacob entered the game in relief of classmate Brittany Hart (North Andover, Mass.) with the bases loaded and eventually ended the inning on a fly-out to left.

Bryant attempted to rally in the bottom of the fifth by plating four runs on just one hit, as Orr allowed a pair of walks and hit-by-pitches, respectively, to help the Bulldogs' offensive woes. But eight runs would be the closest that Bryant would claw to, as Fairfield's 12-4 final advantage signified the end of the mercy rule-shortened match.

Hart allowed 13 hits in four innings of work while allowing three walks, while Jacob yielded two hits during her one inning of relief.

After two days of rest, the Bulldogs take to the field for two games on March 15 in the USF Tournament in Clearwater, Fla. Bryant will be matched up against ACC foe Maryland before facing Northern Illinois in its second contest on Friday.

For continuing coverage of Bryant University softball, check back online at www.bryantbulldogs.com; also follow the Bulldogs on Twitter @BryantAthletics.