SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Despite dropping Game 1 of the doubleheader, the Bryant University softball team exploded for 12 runs to take Game 2 and earn a double dip split vs. Fairleigh Dickinson, Saturday at Conaty Park.

Game 1

A Hayley Bottino (Canyon Country, Calif.) double in the bottom of the second was the lone offensive highlight for the Bulldogs (11-24, 3-3 Northeast Conference) as FDU pitcher Megan Reiner kept the hosts in check to help the Knights (7-15, 4-4 NEC) to the 2-0 victory.

Bryant, which only managed four hits in Game 1, could not get to Reiner who struck out four  in the shutout effort, while a two-run double to left center from Cheryl Lopez served as the offensive output for either side.

Bryant pitcher, junior Elle Madsen (Wheat Ridge, Colo.), allowed just one earned run on seven hits, to go along with a season-high nine strikeouts, in seven innings of work.

Game 2

The second game of the DH sang a different tune for the Black and Gold, collecting 15 hits and pushing 12 runs across the plate, to snap a four-game skid and earn the 12-5 victory.

Bryant wasted little time taking its first lead of the day when a nifty first-and-third play from Liana Ogata (Tustin, Calif.) allowed Madeline Velasquez (Los Angeles, Calif.) to sneak home, giving the hosts the early 1-0 edge.

After FDU evened the score in the top of the second, Bryant fired up the bats for a five-run, six-hit bottom half of the inning which featured RBI base knocks from Velasquez, Bottino, Taylor Burger (Killingworth, Conn.), Maritza Martinez (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and Haylee Haas (Moorpark, Calif.).

The Knights shrunk the deficit in the next half inning, 6-4, until five-more Bulldog runs in the bottom of the fourth, highlighted by a Lauren Keast (Holliston, Mass.) three-run homerun, launched the Black and Gold back out front, 11-4. A Martinez solo blast in the bottom of the sixth and 4.2 innings of stellar relief from Madsen, which featured seven Ks, helped the hosts secure the 12-5 victory.

Looking ahead, Bryant's busy weekend continues when it hosts Robert Morris for a 12/2 p.m. doubleheader, Sunday afternoon at Conaty Park.