BRYANT SOFTBALL SWEEPS SOUTHERN CONN.

Bulldogs win Game One, 9-0, as well as Game Two, 1-0

SMITHFIELD, RI -  The Bryant University softball team (12-12, 11-3 NE-10) swept a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader Thursday afternoon as it defeated the Southern Connecticut Owls (10-18-1, 4-7 NE-10) in action at the Bryant Softball Complex. Bryant won Game One by the score of 9-0, in six innings. The Bulldogs also won Game Two by the score of 1-0.

In Game One, the Bulldogs jumped on the scoreboard first as each of the first four batters reached base. Run-scoring hits by junior Amanda Wilbut (Lakeville, Mass.) and senior Jordan Dargon (Trumbull, Conn.) accounted for the production, but Bryant could only push a pair of runs across the plate and left two runners on base.

Leading off the bottom of the third inning, Dargon used a 13-pitch at bat to start the frame with a walk, but it would be for not.

In the bottom of the fourth, sophomore Jennifer Serrano (Stoneham, Mass.) led off with a double down the left field line. Sophomore Victoria Duane (West Haven, Conn.) followed with a two-run shot off the left field foul pole, her third of the season. The blast gave the Bulldogs a 5-0 lead, and play was immediately suspended due to lightning. The delay lasted 1:10 minutes.

When play resumed, the Southern Connecticut starter induced the next Bryant batter into a ground out, before leaving the game with an injury. Although Bryant would not score against the SCSU bullpen in that frame, Bryant tacked on one in the fifth with a sacrifice fly, then ended the contest with a three runs sixth. Junior Amanda Gagne (Wilbraham, Mass.) connected with a three-run home run to left field, her sixth of the season. Sophomore Janine Enos (Wareham, Mass.) allowed just three hits earning the win, her fourth of the year.

Game Two was a pitchers dual lasting a swift 60 minutes. Superb pitching by Bryant starter Nikki Ingalls (Westford, Mass.) held the Owls offense without a run for six-plus innings. Retiring 22 of the 25 batters she faced, Ingalls was lifted following a lead-off single in the top of the seventh inning. Sophomore reliever Jennifer Bernier (Rehoboth, Mass.) was lights out as she got a pop up and fanned two, to close out the contest and complete the sweep for the Bulldogs.

The Bryant defense also was stellar through out the night recording a multitude of key plays in the later stages of the contest.

Bryant softball looks to extend its four-game winning streak as well as its six-game home winning streak with a doubleheader against C.W. Post on Saturday, April 15. First pitch is slated for 12:00 p.m.