Bulldogs take on Spartans and Seahawks in back-to-back doubleheaders

GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant University softball team continues its North Carolina tour, taking on the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in a doubleheader on Tuesday, before facing the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in back-to-back games on Wednesday.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS AND SEAHAWKS
The Spartans (14-10) enter the contest after going 2-1 at the Hampton Inn and Suites Seahawk Softball Invitational in Wilmington. UNC Greensboro defeated UNC Wilmington, 7-2, before splitting games with Presbyterian, 3-0, and 1-0. The Spartans have also split games with Brown this season, losing 4-2, before trumping the Rhode Island-based team, 10-1, in six innings. UNCG defeated NC State, 11-10, in 10 innings and fell to Ohio, 2-0, both of which the Bulldogs will see in the upcoming week. UNC Wilmington enters the contest on a one-game winning streak, taking down Presbyterian, 10-3, whom they previously were defeated by, 4-0. The Seahawks found back-to-back quality wins when they defeated Virginia, 2-1, and then 8-7 in 12 innings. In their first game of the year, the Seahawks were shutout, 11-0, in five innings by Saint Francis U., but won big, 10-3, against Rhode Island at the Lafayette Ford Lincoln of Fayetteville Showcase.

CAMPBELL RECAP
The Bulldogs dropped three-straight to the Camels, including a close finish, 2-1, in game three of the series. Six runs in the fifth and sixth innings helped the Camels to their first victory, 6-1. An early 3-1 lead in game two gave way to a five-run inning in the bottom of the sixth, allowing the Camels to seal the win, 11-5. After, the Camels took a 2-0 lead, junior Taylor Burger homered in the top of the fourth to pull the Bulldogs within one, but it wasn't enough momentum to spark a Bryant comeback.

ONE RUN
The Bulldogs faced their fifth one-run deficit in game three at Campbell, falling to the Camels, 2-1 on March 13. The Bulldogs trailed by two, but were able to close the gap to one, after junior Taylor Burger homered to left center. Against Murray State, Bryant fell, 2-1, at the Wilson/DeMarini Classic at Auburn University (March 4). Prior, the Black and Gold were handed three one-run losses at the Citrus Classic, including two in which they took the lead first. Bryant had a one run lead through the fifth inning, before giving up two runs to North Florida, losing, 8-7, in their 2016 season opener. East Carolina took a 1-0 edge over the Bulldogs at the top of the fourth, before holding Bryant scoreless through all seven innings, allowing the Bulldogs only one hit in the game. After five innings of play, the Black and Gold lead Syracuse, 2-0, before the Orange scored the tying runs at the top of the sixth. Both defenses held strong, forcing extra innings, where Syracuse capitalized to hone in the game-winner in the top of the eighth. The Orange were able to hold onto the lead, handing Bryant their third one-run deficit of the weekend, 3-2.

THE BIG BAT
Junior Taylor Burger and freshman Kaleigh Goulart recorded homers at Campbell, marking the first two of the season for the Bulldogs. Goulart was first to do so, finding the only Bryant score in game one's 6-1 loss at Campbell. With one out in the top of the sixth, the freshman hammered it to left field for her first-career home run. Burger found her first home run of the season in game three's 2-1 loss to the Camels. Trailing by two in the top of the fourth with two outs, the junior clocked it to left center for her 13th-career homer.

ON THE MOUND
In addition to veteran pitchers, Elle Madsen and Hayley Bottino, the Bulldogs have utilized sophomore Logan Paul, redshirt freshman Brandi Burgin and true freshman Colby Norris. Norris has already appeared in eight games, starting six of them. The Virginia native has taken some pressure off of Madsen by pitching 31.0 innings this season, striking out 21 batters, while posting a 3.06 ERA. Norris recorded a career-best seven strikeouts in the Bulldogs 2-1 loss in game three at Campbell (March 13).