Bulldogs face Jaguars, Wolfpack and Bobcats at N.C. State DoubleTree RDU Invite

GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant University softball team concludes its North Carolina tour, taking on IUPUI, N.C. State and Ohio in the N.C. State DoubleTree RDU Invite on Friday and Saturday at the Dail Softball Stadium in Raleigh, N.C.

SCOUTING THE JAGUARS, WOLFPACK AND BOBCATS
IUPUI enters the contest at 7-13, most recently being shutout, 8-0, on the road against Illinois. The Jaguars went 2-2 at the North Carolina Tournament, defeating Georgetown in back-to-back games, 7-6, in 10 innings, and 12-7. IUPUI then dropped the next two at the tournament to North Carolina, 10-0, and Butler, 6-1, in Chapel Hill. Entering play on Friday, the Wolfpack (13-11) have won two-straight contests, shutting out Delaware State, 8-0, in five innings, before defeating North Carolina, 7-2, in Chapel Hill. N.C. State has shutout three opponents this season, including Loyola Chicago and Delaware State twice. The Wolfpack lost a close one, 11-10, in eight innings to UNC Greensboro at the Jacksonville Tournament. Ohio (11-7) is coming off three-straight wins at the Indiana Classic where the Bobcats defeated Indiana, Evansville and Drake University, holding two of the three teams scoreless. The Bobcats kicked off their season with back-to-back wins over Longwood, 2-1, and UNC Greensboro, 2-0, at the Carolina Classic and since then has shut out five opponents this season.

UNC GREENSBORO AND UNC WILMINGTON RECAP
The Bulldogs struggled against UNC Greensboro, losing 11-3 in game one and 7-1 in game two. The Bulldogs scored first in the opening inning and lead through the top of the third, but the Spartans' six runs in the bottom of the second helped the hosts to an 11-3 finish. In game two, the Spartans went ahead and the first and stayed on top through the 6.5 innings of playing, defeating Bryant, 7-1. UNC Wilmington won both games by two runs, taking the Bulldogs down, 4-2, in game one and, 2-0, in the second game of the day. Again the Bulldogs took the initial lead in the first and stayed on top through the top of the fifth, but the Seahawks found the tying runs in the fifth and the game-winning score in the bottom of the sixth. In game two of the doubleheader against UNCW, the Seahawks took the two-run edge over the Bulldogs in the bottom of the second and maintained it through the remaining 4.5 innings, winning 2-0.

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. Burger leads the Bulldogs, batting .289, while Goulart sits just behind her at .258.

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 10 games, starting eight of them. The Virginia native has taken some pressure off of Madsen by pitching 43.0 innings this season, striking out 28 batters, while posting a 4.72 ERA. Norris recorded a career-best seven strikeouts in the Bulldogs 2-1 loss in game three at Campbell (March 13).

IN-AND-OUT(FIELD) BURGER
Returning in the outfield is reigning Northeast Conference Most Improved Player and First Teamer Taylor Burger. Burger had a standout sophomore season, where she led the team with a .350 batting average, along with 35 hits, 11 home runs, seven doubles, two triples, 23 runs scored and 30 RBI. The junior homered in each of the final six games of 2015, while posting a .947 fielding percentage. Burger was the only Bulldog to be named to the All-NEC First Team last season. The right fielder continues to perform this season, driving in two with a double in the season opener against North Florida. The sophomore recorded a season-best three putouts, most recently in at UNC Wilmington on March 16. Against Syracuse, Burger connected on two of her three appearances at bat, while adding a run in the bottom of the fourth. Against Georgia State, the starting right fielder finished 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI, while finding her first home run of the season at Campbell on March 13.

MAD SKILL
Senior Elle Madsen is back on the mound for the Bulldogs and looking to make even more of a mark on the program than she has, in the last three years. After posting 96 strikeouts last season, Madsen has added 21 more to her 317 career strikeouts after the first 16 games of the 2016 season. The senior recorded four of the five strikeouts in the eight-inning loss to Syracuse, 3-2. Madsen matched that, striking out four Georgia State batters in 3.1 innings on the mound. The senior struck out a season-high five batters in game one's 11-3 loss at UNC Greensboro. The pitcher was a force at the plate last season, recording team highs in home runs (12), RBI (36) and triples (2) last season. Madsen also managed 23 runs, four doubles and 42 hits. This year, Madsen has recorded at least one hit in 9-of-16 games, including doubles against No. 4 Auburn and Georgia State, while recording a season-high three hits in game two at Campbell.