March 16, 2010
BULLDOGS SNAP LOSING
STREAK, DEFEAT HOLY CROSS 7-2 IN HOME OPENER
Boxscore
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After
dropping its last six contests at the annual Rebel Spring Games,
the Bryant University softball team returned to the friendly
confines of the Bryant Softball Complex and jump-started a five
game homestand by defeating Holy Cross, 7-2, in the 2010 home
opener.
The Bulldogs (2-11) outhit the Crusaders (4-6) 10-8 in the
contest and used solid pitching to
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Freshman Brittany Hart allowed
only two runs in the win against
Holy Cross Tuesday.
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earn the victory. Freshman Brittany Hart (North Andover,
Mass.) earned the victory going 4.1 innings, allowing five
hits and only two earned runs. Her classmate Jennifer Jacob
(Deer Park, N.Y.) finished the game off for the Bulldogs,
pitching the final 2.2 innings. Jacob allowed three hits and no
earned runs.
Three different Bulldogs had two hits in the contest. Freshman
Talia Zizza (Reading, Mass.) led the way hitting
two doubles to go 2-4 and bringing in two RBIs. Right fielder
Kate Murray (Fitchburg, Mass.) and senior captain
Ashley Coon (Levittown, Pa.) each had two hits as
well. Murray was 2-2 and scored two runs while Coon was 2-3 and
tallied two runs of her own. Jacob, Sophomore Laura Bowen
(Hudson, Mass.) and shortstop Ali Chouinard
(Swansea, Mass.) all went 1-3 on the afternoon.
Sophomores Gwen Reimer and Nicole Ortiz led the way for the
Crusaders with two hits apiece. Holy Cross' ace, Caitlin
Belanger picked up the loss in five innings of work. Belanger
allowed six hits and three earned runs. She also was called for
eight illegal pitches.
The Bulldogs played a little small ball and got on the board in
the bottom of the first inning as Bowen was hit in the foot by the
Holy Cross pitcher. She was moved over on a sacrifice bunt by
Murray and then advanced to third on an illegal pitch from
Belanger. After Chouinard popped up to the shortstop, Zizza smashed
a line-drive double to right center to plate Bowen and take a 1-0
lead after one inning of play.
Holy Cross got one run back in the top of the second and held
the Bulldogs scoreless in the bottom of the frame to level the
score at one apiece.
Bryant retook a one-run lead in the bottom of the third when
Murray and Zizza strung together a couple doubles. It was
Zizza's second RBI of the afternoon.
The Bulldogs opened the margin to 3-1 after four innings but
surrendered one Crusader run in the top of the fifth which pulled
Holy Cross back to within one run, 3-2, after five innings of play.
Holy Cross got the leadoff batter on in the sixth inning and was
threatening but great defense by the Bulldogs pulled averted the
threat. Following the Belanger walk, Tiffany Medwid squared to bunt
for the Crusaders but got a little under the ball and popped it up.
Jacob made a great fully laid-out dive to catch the ball and
quickly threw the ball to first and doubled up the Crusaders. Jacob
got the next batter to ground back to her and close the door on
Holy Cross in the top half of the sixth.
Bryant broke the game open in the bottom half of the sixth,
scoring four runs on four hits to make the score 7-2 and hopefully
secure its second win of the season. The Crusaders committed two
costly errors in the sixth inning which helped plate two Bulldog
runs.
Holy Cross loaded the bases with two outs in top half of the
last inning but Jacob pitched out of it and got Reimer to ground
out back to her to earn a win in the Bulldogs' 2010 home
opener.
The Black and Gold returns to action on Thursday, March 18 when
they host intrastate rival University of Rhode Island at 4 p.m. at
the Bryant Softball Complex.
