Bulldogs split games on Saturday, defeat Roadrunners, 6-3, at LMU Tournament

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University softball's five-combined runs in the sixth and seventh inning elevated the team to a 6-3 win over CSU Bakersfield, before falling to Boise State, 8-0, in five innings on day two of the LMU Tournament in California.

GAME ONE

Despite trailing the Roadrunners (3-11), 3-1, the Bulldogs (2-11) mounted a comeback in the top of the sixth, before scoring three runs in the seventh to lift Bryant to a 6-3 victory.

The Roadrunners took an early lead, 1-0, in the bottom of the second after Julea Cavazos scored on the throw to get Nicole Curry out at second.

The Bulldogs answered in the top of the third, tying the game, 1-1. With one out and the bases loaded, Lyndsay Klimenko walked junior Rachel Monroe (Southwick, Mass.), allowing sophomore Kaleigh Goulart (Marion, Mass.) to score from third.

The Roadrunners took back the lead in the bottom of the frame, as Cydney Curran scored unearned from third. Kaylynn Burt's run in the bottom of the fifth, pushed the Roadrunners' edge to two, 3-1, off Nadia Amezcua's single through the left side.

CSU Bakersfield's lead was short lived, as the Bulldogs scored back-to-back unearned runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game, 3-3. With one out and runners on first and third, senior Haylee Haas (Moorpark, Calif.) singled to the shortstop, allowing junior Gianna Pizzano (Saugus, Mass.) advance to second and freshman Gabrielle Ermish (Pottstown, Pa.) to score. Following, senior Lauren Keast (Holliston, Mass.) reached first on an error by Curran, before advancing to second, while Haas moved to third and Pizzano scored.

In the final inning, Summer Evans checked in for Klimenko in the circle after she walked leadoff batter freshman Marianna Politis (Arcadia, Calif.). Senior Taylor Burger (Killingworth, Conn.) singled to left field off Evans. Junior Robyn Ukegawa (Carlsbad, Calif.) was walked before advancing to second on an error by Karah Wiseman. The error allowed Burger to advance to third and Politis to run in for the Bulldogs' go-ahead run, 4-3. Burger's unearned score from third pushed the margin to two, 5-3. Ukegawa scored Bryant's final run, advancing the lead to three, 6-3, after scoring from third on a wild pitch by Evans.

Down by three, the Roadrunners couldn't respond in the bottom of the seventh, going down in order, as the Bulldogs earned its first win in California, 6-3.

Keast and Ermish both went 2-for-4, while the Black and Gold scored six runs off seven hits. Amezcua led the Roadrunners off a 2-for-3 mark, while the team scored three runs off seven hits. Sophomore Brandi Burgin (Santa Clarita, Calif.) earned her first win of the season in the circle, while only walking one batter. Ermish gave up three runs off seven hits, while fanning two batters. Klimenko moved to 0-4 on the season, allowing four runs off six hits, despite six strikeouts.

GAME TWO

The highlight of game two came in the form of Boise State pitcher Paige Reimann's no-hitter, as she moved to 3-1 on the season after letting up only two walks in the five-inning game. Reimann struck out four Bulldogs (2-12) in the Broncos' (14-5) 8-0 victory in game two on Saturday afternoon.

The Broncos got off to a hot start, scoring four runs in the bottom of the opening inning. Kora Wade doubled to left center to score Tatianna Sorokina, before Rebekah Cervantes' triple to right center plated Wade. Cassidy Edwards knocked one to second base, driving Cervantes in, while Karlee Johnson's RBI single through the left side lifted the Broncos to a 4-0 lead after one inning of play.

The Broncos made it a five-score game in the bottom of the second, when Wade hit an RBI single to right center. Boise State solidified its win in the fifth, tacking on three more runs, including two unearned. The Broncos final score came off Shaelee Pearson's sacrifice fly to centerfield.

Sorokina went 3-for-3 and Wade batted 2-for-3, as the Broncos scored eight runs off eight hits. Sophomore Colby Norris (Toano, Va.) recorded the loss on the mound, allowing four runs off four hits.

The Bulldogs wrap up the LMU Tournament on Sunday against No. 5 Arizona at 4 p.m. (EST).