BRYANT COMES FROM BEHIND TO EARN SWEEP OF SEAHAWKS SATURDAY IN SMITHFIELD

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Late-inning heroics help the Bryant University softball team earn a pair of come-from-behind victories, 6-4 and 8-7, over Northeast Conference-foe Wagner Saturday afternoon in Smithfield.

Game 1

The Seahawks got off to quick start jumping on Bryant starting Brittany Hart (North Andover, Mass.) for three early runs in the top of the first inning. The Bulldogs responded in the bottom of the inning with a Lauren Guy (La Habra, Calif.) leadoff homerun (her third-straight game with a leadoff homer).

After Wagner scored again in the top of the second, Bryant began chipping away at the Wagner lead, scoring in the bottom of the second off a Guy single. In the bottom of the third, Sophomore Madeline Velasquez (Los Angeles, Calif.) belted a double down the left field line to score junior Aubrey Mable (Aurora, Colo.). The Bulldogs added two more runs in the inning off a Bell single and an Elle Madsen (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) sacrifice fly, grant Bryant the 5-4 lead.

The Bulldogs added an ever-important insurance run in the bottom of the fifth off a Kate Murray (Fitchburg, Mass.) single.

In six innings of relief, Madsen had possibly the best showing of her young collegiate career allowing just seven hits while striking out five for her second win of the season. Velasquez paced Bryant with a huge 3-for-4 afternoon, while Guy drove in a pair.

Game 2

Five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, including a two-out walk off double from junior Taylor Bell (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) helped grant the Bulldogs an 8-7 win in Game 2 Saturday afternoon against Wagner.

The Seahawks held a 7-3 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh but the Bulldogs responded when they needed it most. Madsen got things started with a one-out single down the left field line, followed up by another single from Jessica Benacquista (Belleville, N.J.) down the right field line. Pinch hitter Christina Eringis (Tewksbury, Mass.) came through with a huge RBI single to score Madsen, cutting the Wagner lead to just three with one out.

Guy stepped up and continued her hot streak with a double down the left field line scoring Benaquista. After a line out, Mable belted a two-strike, two-out single through the left side, scoring Guy and Erinigis, tying the game at 7-7 in the process.

After a Velasquez single advanced Mable to third, Bell hammered a double to right center, scoring Mable and giving Bryant its first NEC doubleheader sweep, 8-7.

Madsen threw 2.1 innings in relief, allowing just three hits in her third victory of the season.

The Bulldogs will open April with a visit to New Haven, Conn., on Wednesday when they visit Yale for a doubleheader (3/5 p.m.)

For all the latest news on the Bryant University softball team, visit BryantBulldogs.com.