March 13, 2009
BULLDOGS SWEEP IN FINAL DAY OF REBEL GAMES; TAKE OUT BUCKNELL,
5-2, AND YOUNGSTOWN STATE, 2-1
Boxscore vs.
Bucknell
Boxscore vs. Youngstown State
KISSIMMEE, FLA. - After losing five of their first six games at
the Rebel Games over spring break, the Bryant University softball
team finished off the week with a pair of solid victories, beating
Bucknell, 5-2, and Youngstown State, 2-1, in extra innings.
Ali Chouinard (Swansea, Mass.) knocked in the game
winning RBI in both wins, including a bunt in the top of the eighth
of game two that scored Regina Burdo (Wayne, Pa.).
Samantha Houseal (Mount Joy, Pa.) was tremendous,
picking up the victory on the mound in both games to give her four
on the year.
Trailing 2-0 to Bucknell in game one, the Bulldogs tallied four
times in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a, 4-2, lead that
they would not relinquish. Burdo hit a two-run single to tie the
game with one out in the inning, and Bryant took the lead on an RBI
groundout by Chouinard. Freshman second baseman Laura Bowen
(Hudson, Mass.) scored on a passed ball to pad the Bryant
lead.
Three of the runs were charged to Bison starting pitcher, Liz
Fanning, who went 3.1 innings while surrendering three runs on five
hits. She was replaced by Kate McDonald with one out in the fourth,
who allowed two runs in her 2.2 innings of work.
Bulldog starter Houseal was excellent on her way to her third
win of the year, striking out ten Bucknell batters while giving up
one earned run in a complete game effort.
An Ashley Coon (Levittown, Pa.) groundout in
the sixth that scored Burdo gave Bryant a little more insurance, as
they took a, 5-2, lead into the seventh. Houseal set the Bison down
in order to close out the game.
Game two saw the Bulldogs go into the top of the seventh
trailing 1-0. Youngstown State scored the lone run of the contest
on a single by Kristen Philen in the bottom of the fourth. Cheryl
Cale had made that lead stick, shutting Bryant out for the first
six innings, surrendering just two hits.
But the Bulldogs got to Cale in the seventh. Lindsay
Martin (Methuen, Mass.) got the rally started with a one
out double down the left field line. Martin would advance to third
after an error on the following play, and Lauren McCart
(Vorhees, N.J.) would bring her home with an RBI ground
out to knot the game a one apiece.
The Penguins threatened in the bottom of the seventh, loading
the bases with two outs before Houseal got Kim Klonowski to ground
into a fielder's choice to send the game into extra innings.
Burdo was placed on second to start the top of the eighth, and
Bowen moved her over to third with a sacrifice bunt. Chouinard
would lay down a bunt as well, scoring Burdo who came in ahead of
the throw home to stake Bryant to a 2-1 advantage.
Houseal sealed up the win in the bottom of the eighth getting
Philen and Ashley Conger to pop-up to second base after Klonowski
was sacrificed to third with nobody out. The sophomore went all
eight in the game giving up just the one run while striking out
eight.
The Bulldogs will come home to Smithfield riding a two-game
winning streak, as they play their home opener on Tuesday against
Holy Cross (3 p.m. and 5 p.m.).
Game 1
Bryant 5, Bucknell 2 (Mar 13, 2009 at Kissimmee, Fla.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bucknell............ 100 100 0 - 2 6 1
Bryant.............. 000 401 X - 5 10
3
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Bucknell - Fanning, L; McDonald, K(4). Bryant - Samantha
Houseal.
Win-Samantha Houseal Loss-Fanning, L T-1:50
A-75
Weather: Sunny
Game 2
Bryant 2, Youngstown State 1 (Mar 13, 2009 at Kissimmee, Fla.)|
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bryant..............
000 000 11 - 2 3
0
Youngstown State.... 000 100 00 - 1 7
3
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Bryant - Samantha Houseal. Youngstown State - Cale.
Win-Samantha Houseal(4-10) Loss-Cale(1-6) T-1:41
A-74
