February 6, 2009

BULLDOGS DROP FIRST PAIR OF DIVISION I CONTESTS; FALL, 14-0, TO SIU-EDWARDSVILLE AND, 3-1, TO NICHOLLS STATE

Boxscore vs. SIU Edwardsville / Boxscore vs. Nicholls State

SHREVEPORT, LOUIS. - The Bryant University softball team began Division I play on Friday at the Centenary Tournament in Shreveport, Louisiana, falling in a double-header to SIU Edwardsville, 14-0, and Nicholls State, 3-1.

Game One

Kate Thomas (Bedford, N.H. / Trinity) had a pair of hits in her three at-bats in the first game of the day, but Bryant could not muster a run against Erika Taylor, who struck out 11 in five innings of work.

With the game scoreless going into the third inning, the Cougars struck for five runs on five hits, as Lauren Zemburski, Lindsey Longfellow and Whitney Davis all drove in runs to get the offense started against Bulldog sophomore pitcher Samantha Houseal (Mount Joy, Pa. / Donegal), who allowed just one earned run over five innings of work while striking out two. Davis drove in two runs in the game on three hits for SIU Edwardsville.

Bryant's best scoring chance came in the sixth inning, as they put two runners on with nobody out but were unable to scratch a run across. The game was called after the sixth due to the eight run rule. Regina Burdo (Wayne, Pa. / Archbishop Carrol), Anne Dobmeier (Buffalo, N.Y. / Holy Angels) and Kim Breton (Leominster, Mass. / Leominster) also collected their first Division I hits in the game.

Game Two

In game two, the Bulldogs jumped on Nicholls State in the first inning, as junior catcher Ashley Coon (Levittown, Pa. / Conwell Egan Catholic) hit a towering homerun to left field, giving Bryant the early 1-0 lead.

The Colonels responded with a homerun of their own in the bottom of the first, as Danielle Clayton connected on a three-run shot to give Nicholls State the, 3-1, lead.

Starting pitcher Lacey Grose made the lead stand-up, as she surrendered just the one hit and walked one while striking out seven in seven innings.

Houseal pitched a solid game for the Bulldogs, not giving up a run after the bottom of the first, striking out two and giving up seven hits while going the distance.

Bryant will look to bounce back as they play two more games today, taking on host Centenary at 5:30 p.m. and Missouri State at 7:30 p.m.