April 5, 2007

BRYANT SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH ADELPHI
Gm 1 - Bryant 3, Adelphi 2 (8) / Gm 2 - Adelphi 5, Bryant 3

Jess Valentini tags out Dely Francisco at third Thursday.  www.dspics.com

SMITHFIELD, RI -   The Bryant University softball team picked up a non-conference split with visiting Adelphi Thursday afternoon, earning a 3-2 win in eight innings in the opener but falling 5-3 in the second.  Battling bitter cold temperatures, the Bulldogs battled back from a 2-0 deficit to pull out the win over the Panthers. 

Bryant would get a run back in the fourth as Amanda Gagne (Wilbraham, Mass.) led off the inning with a single to left.  She would move over to second thanks to a well executed sacrifice by Jessica Valentini (Cliffside Park, NJ).  Two batters later, freshman Alison Chouinard (Swansea, Mass.) would single in Gagne to pull the Bulldogs to within a run.  The Bulldogs would get the equalizer and inning later as sophomore Kate Thomas (Bedford, NH) drilled her second home run of the year, a solo shot deep to right field. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Lindsay Connor (West Haven, CT) opened the inning with a single to left.  Two batters later, Valentini reached with a single up the middle setting the stage for Amanda Wilbur (Lakeville, Mass.) who lined a double to deep center allowing Connor to score the game-winner. 

In the second game, the Panthers broke open a 2-2 game with two runs in the second and added another run in the third and would hold on for a 5-3 win.  Both runs in the first were unearned as the Bulldogs had trouble battling the cold temperatures.  The second game featured a 10-minute snow delay, but once play resumed, the Bulldogs could manage just one run in the fifth and fell to 9-6 on the season.   

Bryant will host Franklin Pierce for a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon.