Bulldogs fall, 8-1, in 2016 regular season finale at Massachusetts

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University softball team dropped its last regular season game on Thursday afternoon, falling to Massachusetts, 8-1, in Amherst.

The Minutewomen (21-22) took an early lead in the bottom of the first, after Erin Stacevicz scored on a passed ball, before Jena Cozza followed with a score of her own off Taylor Carbone's RBI single down the right field line to give the home team a 2-0 edge over the Bulldogs (12-34).

Cozza led off for Massachusetts in the bottom of the third, hammering one over the fence for the Minutewomen's 3-0 advantage.

The Bulldogs escaped a scoreless defeat when junior Taylor Burger (Killingworth, Conn.) singled up the middle with two outs, plating senior Liana Ogata (Tustin, Calif.) from third to make it 3-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, Olivia Godin pushed the margin to five, 6-1, off a three-run homer to left field. The following inning saw two more runs by the Minutewomen, as Carbone hit an RBI single to third, followed by Stacevicz's score from third off a wild pitch to solidify Massachusetts' 8-1 win.

Freshman Colby Norris (Toano, Va.) recorded the loss on the mound, giving up six runs off six hits in 5.0 innings. Meg Colleran earned the win in the circle, allowing one run off two hits in 4.0 innings, while Carbone recorded the save, letting up no runs off three hits in 3.0 innings.

The Bulldogs now watch to see how things shake out in the final weekend of regular season NEC play, waiting to find out where and who they will play in the NEC tournament next weekend.