BULLDOGS FALL TO DOWLING, 9-0 IN NCAA OPENER
Boxscore

SYRACUSE, NY –  Sophomore pitcher Jackie Rogers struck out six and had three hits of her own to lead fourth-seeded Dowling to a 9-0 win over No. 5 seed Bryant in the opening game of the NCAA Division II Softball Northeast Regional. The Golden Lions (33-18) dealt Northeast-10 Conference champion Bryant (29-16) its first run-rule loss of the season.

Dowling (33-18) did most of its damage in the third inning, scoring five runs to take a commanding 5-0 lead over the Northeast-10 Champion Bulldogs.

Dowling (33-18) did most of its damage in the third inning, scoring five runs to take a commanding 5-0 lead over the Northeast-10 Champion Bulldogs.

With one out, Dowling's Taras Wallace drove in the game's first two runs on a double while Jackie Rogers followed with a RBI single of her own, scoring Wallace to make it 3-0.  Dowling, the champions of the NYCAC Conference, would add two more runs in the inning off Bryant starter Janine Enos.

The Bulldogs had an opportunity to push across a few runs in the the fourth as Diane Cummings and Amanda Wilbur had back to back singles to put two runners on.  But Dowling's Rogers struck out Holly McCarthy and got out of the jam by forcing Briana Durborow into a fielder's choice to end the inning.  

Dowling would then add three more in the fourth including a two-run single for Rogers who helped in own cause going 3-for-3 with RBIs and two runs scored. 

Enos took the loss for Bryant going 2 1/3 innings, allowing six runs, on six hits, and striking out one. Lindsay Connor went 1-for-3 with a single in the game.

For Dowling Jacki Legnon went 1-for-3 with a run scored while Wallace went 1-for-2 with a double and two RBIs.

Bryant will return to action tomorrow at 9:30AM when they play in loser bracket match-up against an opponent to be determined.