SMITHFIELD, R.I. – A pair of wins and a three-run homerun from freshman Elle Madsen (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) and some clutch hitting from senior Kate Murray (Fitchburg, Mass.) lift the Bryant University softball team to two come-from-behind victories, Saturday over Sacred Heart.

Game 1

Madsen shouldered the load for the Bulldogs in Game 1, allowing just two runs in seven innings while blasting a three-run shot to lead Bryant to the 3-2 victory.

The Pioneers got off to a fast start, loading the bases in the top of the first, but they could only muster a single run off a Justine Sinthorp single, jumping out to a 1-0 lead. Sacred Heart threatened again in the top of the second, but could only push one run across off a Annie Dreher single to right field.

In the bottom of the third inning, junior Lauren Guy (La Habra, Calif.) got things started with a leadoff single up the middle, following by a Madeline Velasquez (Los Angeles, Calif.) single down the left field line. With runners on first and second, Madsen blasted a three-run homerun to center field, putting the Bulldogs up, 3-2.

That was all the offense Madsen needed as she was close to perfect on the hill from the third inning on, not allowing another Pioneer to cross home plate for the remainder of the contest.

Game 2

It took 11 for the Bulldogs to squeak out its second one-run victory of the afternoon, but thanks two clutch singles from Murray the Black and Gold topped the Pioneers, 4-3, in Game 2.

Similar to Game 1, Sacred Heart jumped on the Bulldogs early as a pair of solo shots from Katie Nadler in the first and Annie Dreher in the third, put the Pioneers out front, 2-0, after three.

Besides the two mistakes early on, Bryant starter Brittany Hart (North Andover, Mass.) was outstanding, allowing just six hits in 7.1 innings pitched.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Bulldogs finally got to Sacred Heart starter Kacie Wentworth, as Guy broke the drought with a two-run rip to center field, knotting the game at 2-2. Neither team was able to score in the seventh innings, sending the nail biter into extra innings.

In the ninth, the Pioneers were able to push a run across, capitalizing on a Bryant miscue, but Murray stepped up in the bottom of the innings, looping a single into left field, scoring Madsen, to knot the game up once again, 3-3.

In the bottom of the 11th, Murray stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded, calmly knocking a single down the left field line, delivering the Bulldogs with its second walk off win of the season, 4-3.

Freshman Katelin Saunders (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) threw two innings of solid relief for Bryant, allowing just one run on two hits. Madsen picked up her second victory of the day, improving to 8-6 overall, in 1.2 innings of perfect softball.

The Bulldogs will look to keep things rolling as they hit the road for back-to-back-to-back games at Providence on Tuesday, at Brown on Wednesday and at Boston University on Thursday (all 4 p.m. starts).

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