BULLDOGS START STRONG AT NORTHEAST-10 TOURNAMENT

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Bryant University softball team got off to a strong start Friday at the Northeast-10 Conference touramen as Amanda Gagne (Wilbraham, Mass.) and Deidre Kittridge (Worcester, Mass.) ripped back-to-back home runs to lead third-seeded Bryant to a 6-1 win over No. 6 seed Assumption at the Hopkins Road Complex in Liverpool. 

In the other opening game, senior catcher Noelle Gill (Deep River, Conn./Mercy) blasted two home runs and drove in three runs to lead Saint Michael's College to a 6-0 victory over Merrimack College in the opening game of the Northeast-10 Conference Softball tournament held at Le Moyne College's Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex.

Saint Michael's improve to 24-14 on the season and will face host Le Moyne (34-6) Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Merrimack drops to 20-21 on the season and will return to action at noon Saturday in the consolation bracket at Hopkins Road.

Bryant ups its mark to 26-15, while Assumption drops to 19-20. The Bulldogs will play No. 2 seed UMass Lowell (26-9) at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Hopkins Road. Assumption moves into a consolation round game Saturday at Le Moyne College.

Sophomore pitcher Meggan Roberge (Sheldon Springs, VT/Missisquoi
Valley) went the distance in the circle for Saint Michael's to get her 21st win of the season. Roberge yielded four hits and stuck out five Warriors without walking a batter. Gill, Meagan Newland (East Burke, Vt./Lyndon Institute) and Maggie Russell (South Portland, Maine/Catherine McAuley) had two hits each.

Bryant sophomore Nikki Ingalls (Westford, Mass.) tossed a two-hitter, struck out two and walked five in the 6-1 win. Kittridge was 3-for-3 at the plate and leadoff hitter Lindsay Connor (West Haven, Conn.) was 3-for-4 for the Bulldogs.

Boxscores are available at
http://www.lemoyne.edu/athletics/softball/championship.asp

NORTHEAST-10 CONFERENCE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

May 6
Game 1: #4 Saint Michael's 6, #5 Merrimack 0
Game 2: #3 Bryant 6, at #6 Assumption 1

May 7
Game 3: #4 Saint Michael's (24-14) vs. #1 Le Moyne (34-6) - 10:00 am
at Site A
Game 4: #3 Bryant (26-15) vs. #2 UMass Lowell (26-9) - 10:00 am at Site
B
Game 5: #6 Assumption (19-20) vs. Game 3 loser - Noon at Site A
Game 6: #5 Merrimack (20-21) vs. Game 4 loser - Noon at Site B
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner - 3:30 pm at Site A
Game 8: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner - 3:30 pm at Site B

May 8
Game 9: Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 winner - 10:00am at Site A
Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner - Noon at Site A
Game 11: If Necessary - 3:00pm at Site A

Site A - Le Moyne College
Site B - Hopkins Road, Liverpool N.Y.