BRYANT TRAVELS TO UCONN, ALBANY THIS WEEK; HOST SACRED HEART FOR SENIOR DAY ON SATURDAY
April 27, 2009
BRYANT TRAVELS TO UCONN, ALBANY THIS WEEK; HOST SACRED HEART FOR SENIOR DAY ON SATURDAY
Live
Stats/ Video vs. UConn
Live
Stats vs. Albany
SMITHFIELD, R.I.- The Bryant University softball team will play its final games of its Division I season this week. as they travel to UConn and Albany this week before hosting Sacred Heart on Saturday for Senior Day 2009. The Bulldogs will take on the Pioneers, who qualified for the Northeast Conference tournament this year, at 12 pm, followed by Senior Day festivities. The Bulldogs went 2-2 last week after splitting doubleheaders against Brown and Fairleigh Dickinson, giving the team ten wins in their first year at the Division I level.
CLOSE CALLS
In their first season at the Division I level, the
Bulldogs have proven that they can play teams tough. The squad has
played in ten one-run games out of their 34 contests this year,
winning two of those games. In three extra-inning games this year,
Bryant has posted a 1-2 record. The Bulldogs are coming off
back-to-back one-run losing to UConn and URI, falling in
extra-innings for the second time this season to the Rams in their
game on Saturday.
RECORD BREAKER
Samantha Houseal set the record for most
strikeouts in a season against Central Connecticut on April 1,
setting down 15 batters on strikes in two games to give her 149 for
the year and surpassing the old record of 148 held by Janine Enos.
Houseal now has 169 punch-outs on the year, giving her 248 for her
career which ranks her third all-time. The sophomore has thrown
223.2 of a possible 257.1 innings for the Bulldogs this season, the
most innings pitched for any Bulldog in a single season. She won
her tenth game of the year on Sunday, throwing a complete game
shutout against Fairleigh Dickinson to give her 20 career wins and
tie her for sixth all-time.
FRESH FACES
Freshmen Lindsay Martin (Methuen, Mass.) and
Lauren McCart (Vorhees, N.J.) have played
side-by-side in the outfield for the majority of the season, with
Martin starting 30 games in left field and McCart playing 36 games
in center. McCart is currently second on the team with a .281
average, recording seven hits in her last 15 at-bats over the last
four games. She was six-for-seven in the doubleheader against Brown
on Thursday with two RBI. Martin is third on the team with a .275
average, while tying for second with six multi-hit games. Fellow
freshman, Laura Bowen (Hudson, Mass.) has started
in 37 of Bryant's 38 games at second base. Bowen drove in what
would prove to be the game-winning RBI in game two of a
doubleheader Sunday after Fairleigh Dickinson, going two-for-three
with an RBI in the contest.
HOT CORNER
Third baseman Regina Burdo (Wayne, Pa.)
broke out in a big way in a doubleheader against Brown on Thursday,
going three-for-six with six RBI in the two games. Burdo hit a
three-run double and then came in to score the game-ending run in
the sixth inning as part of the 11-3 victory over the Bears in game
one. The sophomore came back with another double in game two, this
one in the second inning that brought in two more runs in Bryant's
13-7 loss in game two.
DOBMEIER GOING DEEP
Anne Dobmeier (Buffalo, N.Y.) hit two home runs in game
two of a doubleheader against Brown on Thursday, giving her a
team-best five for the season to compliment her team-leading 14
RBI. Dobmeier also leads the team in average, batting .290 for the
year thanks to a recent four-game hitting streak. Over the last
four games, the senior is hitting .533 with two long balls and four
RBI to help Bryant to two wins.
BRYANT VS. THE NEC
The Bulldogs have registered a 5-4 record against future Northeast
Conference opponents in nine games, after splitting a doubleheader
with Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday. Houseal has posted a 2.32 ERA
while making nine starts against the NEC, striking out 40 in 57.1
innings. The sophomore threw a complete game shutout against FDU on
Sunday to help Bryant to a 4-0 win over the Knights. McCart and
Martin have torn apart NEC pitching, combining to go 19-for-51 with
one home run and nine RBI. McCart has hit .348 while starting in
eight games, while Martin has hit an even .393 with a homer and
five RBI. Dobmeier has also put up good numbers, batting .320 with
a home run and six RBI. As a team, Bryant has outscored NEC
opponents 35-26 on the season.
WALLACE GETS WIN
NUMBER 200
With a, 4-0, victory over Central Connecticut in game one
of a doubleheader on Wednesday, Bryant head coach Lisa-Ann
Wallace got her 200th win with the Bulldog softball
program. The all-time winningest coach in the history of the
program, Wallace now has a record of 202-196-1 in her ninth season
at the helm. Houseal came within one out of pitching a perfect game
in the contest, surrendering a two out double in the bottom of the
seventh to end the bid but still get the complete game shutout.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
University of Connecticut (27-18)
The Huskies have won three-straight entering play this
week and will look to go 2-0 against the Bulldogs this season after
just barely squeaking by the black and gold, 2-1, back on April 7.
UConn trailed Bryant 1-0 going into the top of the sixth inning,
but was able to scratch two runs across to grab the win. Justyne
Roy tied the game with a double and later came around to score the
go-ahead tally. Julianne Towers is hitting a team-best .380 for the
year while Rachel Crossin leads the team on the mound with 14 wins
and a 2.00 ERA.
University at Albany (31-12)
The Great Danes lost two out of three to Maine over the
weekend and will play Siena in a pair on Tuesday before hosting the
Bulldogs in a doubleheader on Wednesday. Megan Butsch leads the
team with a .389 average, hitting 12 home runs and driving in 36
RBI. Starting pitcher Leah McIntosh set the Division I school
record for strikeouts in a career, getting her 596th
career strikeout against Maine on Sunday. McIntosh is 18-3 on the
season to lead the team.






