SMITHFIELD, R.I. (April 16, 2024) – The Stonehill College Softball traveled to the Bryant Softball Complex at Bryant University, losing both non-conference games in the mid-week doubleheader.

GAME 1 – Bryant 8 (24-11, 9-3 AE), Stonehill 5 (9-25, 2-13 NEC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Bryant got on the board in the bottom of the first as a fielder's choice and a walk both drove in runs for the Bulldogs to put them in front early, 2-0.

Stonehill responded in the very next half-inning, plating three runs after starting the inning with three straight singles. Both freshman Piper Hofmann (Windermere, Fla.) and junior Shannon Conte (Amesbury, Mass.) brought in runs on ground ball outs followed by a two-out RBI single from junior Chloe Kelly (East Bridgewater, Mass.).

After junior Isabella Therrien (Auburn, Mass.) scored on a passed ball in the top of the third, the Bulldogs tied it up, 4-4, with an RBI double and an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning.

With two outs in the fourth, Bryant rallied with two runners on base as Alexis Clancy lined a single up the middle to bring in the tie-breaking runs to give the Bulldogs a 6-4 lead.

A two-run home run over the left field fence from Hannah Cochran doubled the Bryant lead to four runs heading into the seventh where the Skyhawks managed to get one run but their rally fell short as the Bulldogs secured the 8-5 win.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Freshman Alexa Hospodar (Old Bethpage, N.Y.) pitched 3.2 innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts. She took the loss, falling to 3-7 on the year.
• Sophomore Lauren Donovan (Marblehead, Mass.) pitched 2.1 innings in relief, giving up two runs (two earned) on two hits with three walks and one strikeout.
• Conte continued her hot stretch on the same day as being named a Prime Performer by the Northeast Conference, going 2-4 with a double and an RBI. She has now reached base safely in nine straight games and 15 of the past 17.
• Therrien reached base three times in four at-bats, one single and two walks, while also scoring a run for the Skyhawks.
• Bryant was led by Hannah Cochran who went 2-2 with a home run, four RBI, and a walk while Grace McKillop secured the win in relief for the Bulldogs, improving to 9-3 on the year as she threw four innings, allowing just one run.

GAME 2 - Bryant 5 (25-11, 9-2 AE), Stonehill 2 (9-26, 2-13 NEC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Despite starting the game with three straight singles, Stonehill was unable to score in the first inning as the Bulldogs escaped the jam after throwing a runner out at the plate and forcing back-to-back fielder's choices.

For the second game in a row, Bryant scored in the opening frame as an RBI single through the right side of the infield drove in the Bulldog's lead runner who tripled to begin the half-inning.

Hofmann continued her productive day for the Skyhawks as she drove in the tying run with a single to left field in the third inning.

Stonehill took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth on a ground out from sophomore Natalie Bottiglieri (Massapequa, N.Y.) that scored senior Maeve Proulx (Westford, Mass.) after she pinch ran for freshman Haleigh Reed (Mesa, Ariz.) who led the inning off with a single.

Bryant tied it up in the bottom half of the sixth with a triple and a single to kick off the Bulldogs' rally followed by an RBI single and a two-RBI double that extended their lead to 5-2.

Stonehill went down scoreless in the seventh as Bryant swept the Skyhawks in their midweek doubleheader.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Junior Skylar Brandemarte (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) falls to 4-12 on the year after she pitched 5.1 innings, allowing 5 runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
• Conte had another two-hit game, tallying two singles as she is now 11-18 (.611 BA) in the past six games and has reached base safely in 10 straight games including 16 of the past 18.
• Freshman Harper Sullivan (Glendale, Ariz.) and Hofmann also went 2-4 with two singles each.
• Alexis Clancy went 3-3 with a triple, two singles, and an RBI in the Bulldogs lineup.

UP NEXT

• Stonehill softball continues non-conference play in Rhode Island for the second day in a row, traveling to Brown for a doubleheader at the Brown Softball Field.

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