February 7, 2009
CENTENARY, MISSOURI STATE DOWN
BULLDOGS; DROP PAIR OF 4-0 DECISIONS IN DAY TWO OF CENTENARY
TOURNAMENT
Boxscore vs.
Centenary / Boxscore vs. Missouri
State
SHREVEPORT, LA - Despite strong pitching performances from
sophomore Samantha Houseal (Mount Joy, Pa. /
Donegal), who gave up just five earned runs over 12.1
innings, the Bryant softball team fell to host Centenary and
Missouri State, both by a final of 4-0 Saturday night in day two of
the Centenary Tournament. The Bulldogs conclude play at the
tournament Sunday morning as they take on Boston College (9:30 am).
Game One vs. Centenary
The Bulldogs were only able to manage four baserunners against
Hillary Phillips, who did not a allow a hit while walking two and
striking out seven to record the no-hitter and lift Centenary to a,
4-0, victory over Bryant.
Houseal went the distance, allowing just three earned runs while
striking out five in the game. The sophomore kept the Ladies at bay
until the top of the fourth inning when Haley Bassett reached on an
infield single and Lindsey Smith singled her home later in the
inning to break the scoreless tie. Centenary would tally two more
times in the frame to grab a, 3-0, lead. Bassett went 2-for-3 at
the plate while scoring two runs.
Kim Leonard (Milford, Mass. / Milford) reached
on a walk in the bottom of the fifth, but would be stranded at
third base as she would be the last Bulldog to reach in the game.
Game Two vs. Missouri State
Natalie Rose turned in a two-hit shutout in the night cap to
help Missouri State squeak past Bryant, 4-0. Rose struck out 10
while walking only one in the game, while Houseal once again kept
the Bulldogs in the game, allowing two earned runs over 5.2
innings, not surrendering a run until the fifth.
Bryant put two runners in scoring position in the third inning,
as freshman Lauren McCart (Vorhees, N.J. / Eastern
Regional) collected her first collegiate hit in her first
ever start with one and stole second before Ali Chouinard
(Swansea, Mass. / Joseph Case) reached on an error,
advancing McCart to third. Chouinard stole second, putting runners
on second and third with two outs, but Laura Bowen (Hudson,
Mass. / Hudson) flew out to left to end the inning.
The Bears broke through against Houseal in the fifth, as Brooke
Kempker was hit by a pitch, stole second and then scored on a
single by Christa Gammon. Gammon would later score on a Jenna
Schwark single, staking Missouri State to a 2-0 lead.
Freshman Stephanie Barrett (Plaistow, N.H. / Timberlane
Regional) relieved Houseal with two outs in the sixth
inning, getting Gammon to ground into a fielder's choice to get the
Bulldogs out of a jam.
The Bulldogs put two runners on in the fourth as well, but were
unable to get a run across. Ashley Coon (Levittown, Pa. /
Conwell Egan Catholic) had the only other hit for Bryant,
singling in the sixth and advancing to second on the throw, giving
Bryant one last scoring chance with runners on second and third and
just one out, but a pop-up and a strikeout ended the threat.
Bryant will play its final game of the tournament Sunday morning
against Boston College before returning home to Smithfield (9:30
a.m.).
