Stony Brook sweeps Bryant Thursday

Stony Brook sweeps Bryant in pair of one-run decisions

STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The Bryant University softball team was within striking distance in both of its games against Stony Brook, but the Bulldogs were swept by the Seawolves in a pair of one-run losses, falling 3-2 and 6-5, respectively, on Thursday afternoon at University Field.

The Bulldogs fall to 13-21 on the season, while the Seawolves improve to 29-11.

In Game 1, senior center fielder Lindsay Martin (Methuen, Mass.) launched a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning to cut a three-run deficit to one, but the Bulldogs could not scratch the tying run across in a 3-2 defeat.

Freshman right-hander Allison Cukrov was splendid for the home side in the early game, as the four-time America East Pitcher of the Week limited the Bulldogs to two runs on four hits while striking out seven and yielding just one walk.

Junior Brittany Hart (North Andover, Mass.) fell to 6-6 on the season after allowing three runs – two earned – on 10 hits over six innings of work in the first game. The North Andover, Mass., native struck out two and walked none over the outing.

Four different Bulldogs recorded base hits in the first game, but none were as loud as Martin's, which left the yard in a hurry with the Bulldogs trailing by three runs (3-0) in the top of the fifth. It marked the senior's fifth career homer.

The Seawolves took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first by means of four hits, as shortstop Lauren Maloney did most of the damage with a one-out, two-RBI double to left that scored both runs to put the home side ahead by a pair at the end of the first frame.

The Bulldogs had two runners on in the top of the third after senior Lauren McCart (Voorhees, N.J.) drew a leadoff walk and sophomore Lauren Guy (La Habra, Calif.) earned a trip to first after getting hit by a pitch, but Cukrov set down the side with back-to-back strikeouts to keep Bryant off the board.

Stony Brook boosted its lead with another run in the bottom of the third, as Jess Combs – who reached on a fielder's choice – moved to third on a single by Nicole Hagerty and eventually scored on a throwing error to put the Seawolves ahead by a 3-0 margin.

The Bulldogs broke through in the top of the fifth after Martin launched her second home run of the season – a two-run blast – over the left field wall, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Also scoring on the play was sophomore Taylor Bell (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.), who led off the inning with a base hit up the middle.

But after that, both pitchers would settle in and yield no further offense the rest of the way. Hart and Cukrov both went three up and three down in the bottom of the fifth and top of the sixth, respectively, before the Seawolves threatened again in the bottom of the sixth. But a snagging catch by Bell on a line drive to third retired the side to keep it a one-run game headed to the seventh.

Cukrov assured that the Bulldogs would get no closer, as the hurler set down Bryant, 1-2-3, in the top of the seventh to secure the victory for the Seawolves in Game 1.

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An early three-run inning proved to be the difference in Game 2, as the Seawolves stormed out to a 4-1 advantage after two full innings before the Bulldogs scored the final three runs of the game in an eventual one-run defeat.

Junior Jennifer Jacob (Deer Park, N.Y.) earned the start in the late contest and took the loss (7-15). The right-hander yielded six runs on nine hits over six innings while striking out one and walking two.

Her counterpart, Christine Lucido, earned the win by striking out three and walking none while surrendering five runs on 10 hits over six innings.

Both offenses were much more potent in Game 2, as Bryant out-hit the Seawolves by a 10-9 margin, with nine different players recording a hit – including a 2-for-3 showing by sophomore Kendall Corder (Carmichael, Calif.), who also drove in a side-high two runs.

Stony Brook took an early 3-0 lead by garnering five hits in the top of the first. Three straight singles led to as many runs, putting the Seawolves ahead by three after an inning of action.

Bryant got one of those runs back moments later, as Martin's productive day at the plate continued in the top of the second with an RBI double to right center field, scoring freshman Jessica Benacquista (Belleville, N.J.) – who ripped a two-out single up the middle in the previous at-bat – to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Shayla Giosia came through in the bottom of the second for the Seawolves, however, drilling a two-out double down the left field line to score Suzie Karath and put the home side ahead by three runs (4-1). But in the top of the third, Bryant manufactured a run after Guy led off the inning with a double off the right field fence. Two sacrifice plays later, Guy would come in to score to make it a 4-2 game.

Neither team would relent offensively as the game progressed, as Stony Brook added two more scores in the bottom of the third on a two-RBI base hit off the bat of Sarah Androvich, putting the Seawolves on top, 6-2, momentarily.

The Bulldogs fought back again in the top of the fourth, as McCart smacked a double to center to lead off the inning and then scored on a base hit to center by Corder. Two batters later, the Carmichael, Calif., native came around on a fielder's choice to slash the deficit to two runs, as the Bulldogs pulled to 6-4 entering the fifth inning.

Jacob, meanwhile, began to settle in, as the junior right-hander retired 11 straight at one point, spanning from the end of the third inning all the way through the sixth to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance.

In the top of the sixth, the Bulldogs pulled to within one after freshman Madeline Velasquez (Los Angeles, Calif.) led off with a sharp single down the left field line. After moving to second on a sacrifice, the rookie came in to score on another huge RBI single from Corder. Down 6-5, Bell skied one out to center that bounced out of the outfielder's glove, but both runners were retired trying to advance on the play to end the scoring threat prematurely.

After Jacob cruised through another inning of work in the bottom of the sixth, the Bulldogs came to bat in the top of the seventh looking to draw even, but they would only draw a two-out walk against Cukrov – who came into the game in the seventh for her fourth save of the season – before eventually falling by a run.

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The Bulldogs return home to resume league play this weekend, as Garden State rivals Monmouth and Fairleigh Dickinson head to Smithfield, R.I., for a pair of Northeast Conference doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. First pitch against the Hawks on April 21 is set for 1 p.m.

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