Bottino and Madsen help Bulldogs in Senior Day sweep over Blue Devils, 3-2, 5-3, Saturday at Conaty Park

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – In a must win series, the Bryant University softball team responded to the pressure, honoring the senior class with a sweep over Central Connecticut on senior day on Saturday in Smithfield. Senior Elle Madsen (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) threw nine strikeouts in the 3-2 game one victory, while classmate Hayley Bottino (Canyon Country, Colo.) hit the game-winning homer in the 5-3 game two win.

Game One

After three scoreless innings, the Blue Devils (15-23-1, 4-6 NEC) took a 1-0 lead over the Bulldogs (9-33, 7-7) in the top of the fourth after Eileen Purcell homered to left field with one out.

The Bulldogs answered back in the bottom of the inning, earning a one-run advantage when freshman Kaleigh Goulart (Marion, Mass.) drilled a two RBI homer down the left field line, allowing the Bulldogs to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth.

After back-to-back strikeouts by senior Madsen, Katie Schmidt doubled to left center, plating the Blue Devils' tying run from first to close out the top of the fifth tied at 3-3.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth, junior Lauren Keast (Holliston, Mass.) hit a two-base knocker to left field. Two batters later with two outs and a blank count, freshman Jessica Gradillas (Nogales, Ariz.) placed a double in left center, allowing Keast to score the Bulldogs' game-winning run. The Blue Devils were unable to connect at all in the sixth and seventh and the Bulldogs went on to win game one, 3-2.

Goulart finished 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and a single run. Madsen earned her sixth win on the mound for the Bulldogs, allowing two runs off four hits while throwing a season-high nine strikeouts. Emily Sargent recorded the loss, letting up three runs off eight hits while striking out five batters in game one of the doubleheader.

Game Two

Again the Blue Devils took a 1-0 lead, but this time Evie Rentzel scored from second off an error by the second baseman in the top of the second. The Bulldogs escaped the inning with only one run against them, as CCSU's next batter grounded out, followed by a double play by Gradillas at third base.

With two outs and a runner on first, freshman Chaney Jones (Dover, Del.) doubled to left center, plating Goulart for the Bulldogs' tying run to make it 1-1. The Black and Gold added another after freshman Jenna Cali (Franklinville, N.J.) cranked a triple to left center, scoring Jones from second, allowing the Bulldogs to take a 2-1 advantage. The home team pushed the margin to two, as Madsen's RBI single to left field allowed Bryant to take a 3-1 lead after two innings of play.

Rentzel recorded her second run of the day, hammering one out of the park in the top of the fourth to pull the Blue Devils within one, 3-2. The visitors went on to tie the contest, 3-3, after Purcell hit an RBI single to left center in the top of the fifth.

The Bulldogs pieced together scores in back-to-back innings behind seniors Bottino and Madsen. In the bottom of the fifth with one out, Bottino homered to center field for the Bulldogs' go ahead run, producing Bryant's 4-3 lead. Madsen put the cherry on top of senior day, doubling down the left field line to plate Goulart from second, as the Bulldogs completed the sweep with a 5-3 victory in game two.

Madsen went 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Jones went 2-for-2 with one run. Bottino earned her first win of the season in the circle, allowing no runs off three hits. Alex Casanas was dealt the loss on the mound after letting up four runs off six hits.