Wilbur, Coon Help Bulldogs Stay Alive in Northeast-10 Tournament

May 5, 2007

SYRACUSE, NY - A two-out rally in the top of the sixth kept the Bulldogs alive at the Northeast-10 Tournament and potentially saved their season. Battling for their third straight NE-10 tournament championship and fourth straight trip to the NCAA tournament, the Bulldogs plated three runs in the top of the sixth behind freshman Ashley Coon (Fairless Hills, PA) and senior Amanda Wilbur (Lakeville, Mass.).

Wilbur, named Northeast-10 Player of the Year Friday night, laced a game tying double in the sixth inning before Coon scored Wilbur and Jessica Valentini (Cliffside Park, NJ) with the go-ahead runs.

Janine Enos (Wareham, Mass.) turned in a gutty performance, going the full seven innings and getting out of several key jams.

After taking the lead, Enos was able to work around a lead-off double by Felicia Brum to strand her with two strikeouts and a fly out.

The Penmen jumped in front of the Bulldogs in the first inning. Penmen starting pitcher Ashley Bernstein helped her cause by knocking a 2-out RBI double over left fielder Lindsay Connor's (West Haven, CT) head scoring Tara Moriarty. The damage could have been worse, but right fielder Kate Thomas (Bedford, NH) made a tremendous catch on a sinking liner to end the threat and strand Bernstein at second.

Bryant then put the game out of reach in the seventh. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with no outs, then Bernstein hit Connor with a pitch to bring home Alison Chouinard (Swansea, Mass.). The Penmen almost got out of the jam, when Jennifer Serrano lined into an unorthodox double play after lining to second and Thomas being thrown out at home after a muffed throw.

Valentini, though, came through with a 2-RBI single to put the Bulldogs up 6-1 for good.

With the win, the Bulldogs move on to face Le Moyne/Southern Connecticut this afternoon at 3:30pm. The Penmen are eliminated from the tournament.