March 28, 2009
SOFTBALL FALLS TO URI, 3-2, IN
EXTRA-INNING BATTLE
Box Score
SMITHFIELD, R.I - Shauna Hobbins score the game-winning run in
the top of the ninth inning on a controversial wild pitch, as URI
squeaked out a win over Bryant, 3-2, in extra innings at the Bryant
Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon. The win snapped a four-game
losing skid for the Rams, while the Bulldogs fell to 5-21 on the
season.
A fantastic pitchers' duel, the game remained scoreless until
the sixth inning. Bryant starter Samantha Houseal (Mount
Joy, Pa.) was great on the hill once against just as she
has been all year long, surrendering just three runs, with one
earned while pitching all nine innings. The sophomore struck out
eight in the game as well, giving her 123 for the season as she
approaches the record for most strikeouts in a single season.
The Rams struggled with the bats against Houseal, putting just
two runners on base through the first five. The visitors cracked
the scoreboard in the sixth, as Brittany Julich hit a double to
right field with one out that scored Courtney Prendergastt from
second, putting URI up, 1-0. The Rams would load the bases later in
the inning, but the Bulldog defense came up big, first with
Regina Burdo (Wayne, Pa.) cutting down a run at
home to keep the deficit at one. Ali Chouinard (Swansea,
Mass.) would show off her glove next, making a diving play
going to her right, and throwing out the runner at third to get
Bryant out of the inning, allowing just the one run. Chouinard also
had two hits in the contest.
Stacey Stanovich was also solid on the mound for URI, going 5.2
innings without allowing a run before being replaced in the sixth
by Alison Hartzell.
Still trailing by a run going into the bottom of the seventh,
senior Anne Dobmeier (Buffalo, N.Y.) came up
clutch, slugging a solo home run down the left field line to
lead-off the inning, tying the score at 1-1. The blast, Dobmeier's
second of the year, would send the game into extra frames.
The Rams tallied first in the top of the eighth, sacrificing
over Amanda Sbei, who was placed on second to start the inning as
part of international tie-breaker rules, and then scoring her on an
infield single by Darci Borden to put the visitors up, 2-1.
Bryant responded with a run in a similar fashion in the bottom
of the inning, as Burdo sacrifice Lauren McCart (Vorhees,
N.J.) over to third, and freshman Laura Bowen
(Hudson, Mass.) brought her home with her first sacrifice
fly of the year to knot the score at two apiece.
URI again sacrificed to start the ninth, getting a runner over
to third with one out. Houseal then got a big strikeout of Stefani
Poedubicky, keeping the runner on third with two down. But a pitch
in the dirt that appeared to hit the foot of pinch-hitter Catherine
Smith rolled into the Ram dugout and was declared a wild pitch by
the home plate umpire, scoring Hobbins from third to give URI the
lead once again.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Kate Thomas
(Bedford, N.H.) hit a rope to centerfield with one out
that Poedubicky made a tremendous, back-handed sliding catch on in
the gap, saving the game for the Rams. Hartzell would get her fifth
win of the season after coming in for Stanovich in relief,
clinching the game with a strikeout.
Bryant will have a chance to bounce right back tomorrow, as they
play a double- header on the road against future Northeast
Conference opponent Wagner (12 p.m.).
URI 3, Bryant University 2 (Mar 28, 2009 at Smithfield,
R.I.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
URI........
000 001 011 - 3 7
0 (7-16)
Bryant University... 000 000 110 - 2 5
0 (5-21)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Rhode Island - Stanovich; Hartzell(6). Bryant University
- Samantha Houseal.
Win-Hartzell(5-5) Loss-Samantha Houseal(5-18)
T-1:47 A-55
HR BRY - Anne Dobmeier (2).
