Quinnipiac takes two from Bryant Sunday

Bobcats take two from Bulldogs on Sunday

HAMDEN, Conn. – The Bryant University softball team suffered a doubleheader sweep against Quinnipiac University, as the Bobcats cruised to a 10-2 win in the opening game before eking out a 2-1 victory later in the day on Sunday afternoon at the Quinnipiac Softball Field.

The Bobcats (28-15, 12-6 NEC) used two separate three-run innings while amassing 13 hits to win Game 1, while starter Heather Schwartzburg struck out 10 batters to defeat the Bulldogs (18-23, 9-7 NEC), in Game 2, as Bryant saw its five-game winning streak come to an end.

Game 1

Seniors Laura Bowen (Hudson, Mass.) and Lauren McCart (Voorhees, N.J.) each picked up two hits for the Bulldogs, but the Bobcats would take a 5-1 lead after four innings before clinching the game by means of the mercy rule with a four-run sixth, handing the Bulldogs a 10-2 defeat in the opening game.

Junior Brittany Hart (North Andover, Mass.) lost for the first time in five outings, falling to 10-7 on the season after giving up six earned runs on 13 hits. The Massachusetts native struck out one and walked none of the 35 batters she faced.

Her counterpart, Christy Cabrera, improved to 5-7 on the year while limiting the Bulldogs to two runs on five hits while striking out four and walking none.

The Bulldogs jumped on top in the opening frame, as Bowen put the visitors ahead with a one-out solo shot to right field, making it 1-0 Bryant at the end of the first.

But the Bobcats struck back with three runs in the bottom of the second, as Quinnipiac tied it up on an infield single by Lauren Salgado and senior Christy Cabrera lined a two-RBI double to left in the next at-bat, pushing the home side ahead, 3-1, after two innings.

Quinnipiac tacked on two more runs in the fourth, as Cabrera came up big again with a two-RBI single to push the lead to 5-1. One inning later, the Bobcats reeled off three straight base hits, including a leadoff double by Alex Alba who later came in to socre on a bloop single off the bat of Nikki Barba, extending QU's lead to 6-1 heading to the sixth.

The Bobcats clinched the mercy-rule shortened win in the bottom of the sixth after plating four more runs – all of them unearned – to win the game by an eight-run margin. After back-to-back errors put two runners on, Alba launched a three-run homer to straightaway center to put the game out of reach. One more run would come in to score later in the inning to wrap the early contest up.

Game 2

Quinnipiac hurler Heather Schwartzburg struck out 10 batters and allowed one run on three hits, as the Bobcats completed the doubleheader sweep over the Bulldogs with a 2-1 victory in the late game on Sunday afternoon.

Only three different Bulldogs would record a hit, as sophomore Lauren Guy (La Habra, Calif.) went 1-for-2 with a run scored and classmate Aubrey Mable (Aurora, Colo.) drove in the only Bryant run while going 1-for-2.

Bulldog junior Jennifer Jacob (Deer Park, N.Y.) fell to 8-16 on the season despite tossing a quality start, going six innings while allowing two runs on six hits while striking out one and walking four.

Schwartzburg – one of the top pitchers in Quinnipiac program history – went the distance while allowing a single run on three hits and fanned 10 batters while allowing just three walks.

Just like in the opener, Bryant hopped out to a 1-0 lead with an early run in the top of the first. After Guy drew a leadoff walk, the sophomore moved to second on a wild pitch before Mable singled her home with a base hit through the right side.

But in the bottom of the inning, the Bobcats scratched back with two runs of their own. Cabrera got aboard with a bunt single to start things off and moved to second on a sacrifice. Alba came through again with an RBI single up the middle to tie the game at 1-1 before Katie Alfieri lined one the other way to score Alba on a base hit to right, making it 2-1 in favor of the Bobcats after an inning of play.

That would be it for either offense, as Jacob and Schwartzburg would combine to keep each side at bay. The Bulldogs stranded a runner at third in the top of the fifth, as Madeline Velasquez (Los Angeles, Calif.) led off the inning with an infield single before moving to third on a stolen base and fielder's choice but could not advance from there.

In the sixth, Mable attempted to score from first on an error in the outfield but was thrown out at the plate to keep the lead for the home side.

The Bobcats, meanwhile, had chances in both the fifth and the sixth, but the Bulldog defense was up to the task. Karli Theleman (Lisle, N.Y.) came up huge in the fifth after the Bobcats tried to use a suicide squeeze to add to their lead. The freshman catcher nailed the runner at the plate before throwing to second for a unique double play.

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The Bulldogs enter their final weekend of play slated to play two more conference doubleheaders within the friendly confines of Smithfield, R.I.

First, Bryant hosts Central Connecticut on Thursday, May 3, for a two-game set scheduled to start at 2 p.m., and on Saturday, May 5, the Bulldogs conclude the season with another conference doubleheader against Fairleigh Dickinson at 1 p.m.

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