Bryant drops a pair at Monmouth Sunday

SOFTBALL FALLS TO NEC-FOE MONMOUTH DESPITE VALIANT EFFORT IN DOUBLEHEADER SUNDAY

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Despite holding early leads in both games, the Bryant University softball team dropped a pair of tough decisions Saturday afternoon at Monmouth.

Game 1

The Bulldogs (5-11, 1-3 Northeast Conference) struck first in Game 1 of their doubleheader against the Hawks, but a late rally by Monmouth (12-9, 3-1 NEC) pushed the hosts out front, as Bryant fell , 7-1, Saturday afternoon.

Senior infielder Talia Zizza (Reading, Mass.) got things started for the Black and Gold in the top of the second inning with a one-out double to left field. With two-out, junior Kristen Carter (Branchville, N.J.) reached on an error, scoring Zizza in the process as Bryant jumped out to 1-0 advantage.

Senior Brittany Hart (North Andover, Mass.) looked terrific through four innings, however in the bottom of the fifth, the senior hurler ran into some trouble allowing four runs in the inning (three with two outs). Hart finished with three strike outs in 4.2 innings and four runs (three earned) before freshman Elle Madsen (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) relieved her with two outs in the fifth.

 In the bottom of the sixth, the Hawks were able to string a few more hits together, adding three additional runs (just two earned) as the extended their lead to six runs, 7-1, through six,

Bryant was unable to answer in the seventh as Monmouth picked up its second NEC victory of the season, 7-1, in Game 1.

Game 2

In the second leg of Saturday's doubleheader, the Bulldogs scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but it was not enough as Monmouth picked up the 6-5 victory, completing the afternoon sweep.

Bryant was able to get on the board first as Zizza belted a double to left center, scoring juniors Aubrey Mable (Aurora, Colo.) and Lauren Guy (La Habra, Calif.), opening up a 2-0 Bulldog lead. The Hawks would respond with a pair of RBI singles in the bottom half of the inning, knotting the score at 2-2 after one.

Monmouth would take its first lead of the contest in the bottom of the fourth off a sacrifice fly, but Bryant responded quickly when Carter stole home, bringing the teams even again, 3-3.

The Hawks would go on to score three runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth, combined, to regain the edge, 6-3, heading into the seventh. In the top of the seventh inning, Mable singled to right, bringing home Carter for her second run of the game. The Bulldogs would score one more run in the top of the seventh when Christina Eringis (Tewksbury, Mass.) earned a bases-loaded walk, but that would be it as Bryant suffered the tough, 6-5, defeat.

The Bulldogs will have an opportunity to get back in the win column with five games over the next week, opening with a trip to Boston College on Tuesday (4 p.m.), before a pair of NEC showdowns at Central Connecticut on Friday (2/4 p.m.) and at home vs. Wagner on Saturday (1/3 p.m.)

For all the latest news on the Bryant University softball team, visit BryantBulldogs.com.