Wagner vs. Bryant – GAME #1 BOX SCORE

Wagner vs. Bryant – GAME #2 BOX SCORE
 
Smithfield, RI – In its first Northeast Conference (NEC) doubleheader of the season, the Wagner softball team dropped a pair of games to Bryant, as the Bulldogs defeated the Seahawks 6-4 and 6-2 this afternoon at Conaty Park.

Wagner is now 13-15 on the season, and 0-2 in NEC play, while Bryant improves to 16-13 on the season and 3-1 in NEC play.

In game one, the Seahawks jumped out to an early lead before ultimately falling to the Bulldogs.

Junior Samantha Bedker (Phoenix, AZ / Sandra Day O'Connor) hurled the first 2.2 innings, allowing seven hits and three walks, while tossing three strike outs. Freshman McKaleigh Goodale (Bradenton, FL / Lakewood Ranch) closed out the game, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and one walk, in addition to striking out three.

The Green & White recorded eight hits, with five different players posting at least one.

Wagner attacked early, putting three runs on the board in the top of the first inning. Brianna Tredway (Downingtown, PA / Downingtown West) led off the batting order with a walk. After a sacrifice bunt laid down by Taylor Beeson (Mesa, AZ / Red Mountain), Tredway advanced to second, only to progress to third base on a Kelsey Parker (Lynnwood, WA / Lynnwood) single through the right side. Abigail Beasley (Peoria, AZ / Centennial) followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Tredway and make it 1-0.

With two on, Brenda Bott (Fountain Valley, CA / Fountain Valley) registered her third home run in two games, a two-run shot over the right field fence to increase Wagner's lead to 3-0.

In the bottom of the second, the Bulldogs chipped away at the Seahawks' lead, posting two runs to make it 3-2.  The damage could have been worse for the Seahawks, however, as Bryant loaded the bases on one out before Bedker pitched the Green & White out of a huge jam to end the inning.

Wagner added their final run in the top of the third inning.  Tredway reached on a double to centerfield, and was driven home when Bott's blooper to right-center dropped between the Bryant defense for a base hit to make it 4-2.

The Bulldogs took the lead in the bottom of the third, tallying four runs to make it 6-4. With two outs, Bryant pushed one across with a double to left field, tied the game with a single up the middle, and knocked in their final two runs of the inning with a triple to right-centerfield.

With a pair on, Goodale entered the circle to throw for Wagner. The Bulldogs threatened to increase their lead, but Seahawk third baseman High made an incredible defensive stop to earn the third out of the inning.

The pitchers traded zeros in the final four innings, as Bryant secured the 6-4 victory.

In game two, the Seahawks were able to keep the game close for five innings until the Bulldogs pulled away to earn the 6-2 win.

Goodale tossed a complete game, allowing 12 hits, four earned runs, and one walk, in addition to fanning three.

As a club, Wagner had eight hits from seven different batters.

After two scoreless innings, the Bulldogs were first to get on the board when, in the bottom of the third inning, they pushed across one run to take a 1-0 lead. The Seahawks were able to avert disaster, as the Bulldogs loaded the bases before a grounder to Parker forced the third out.

Wagner broke through in the top of the fourth, posting two runs to take a 2-1 lead. Beeson opened the inning with a single up the right field line. Following Beeson was Parker, whose hit to the second baseman was bobbled, allowing both runners to safely reach second and first base, respectively.

Beeson and Parker each advanced a base on a wild pitch, and were both driven home by Beasley's single through the right side.

Unfortunately, the Bulldogs answered with two runs of their own in their frame of the fifth inning to reclaim the lead and make it a 3-2 ballgame. Bryant looked to add more runs, loading the bases with two outs, but Goodale was able to induce a grounder to third base to end the inning.

Bryant tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to increase their lead to 6-2.

Though they were able to get two runners on base in the top of the seventh, the Seahawks were unable to score again.

The Seahawks return to action tomorrow, April 5, when they travel to New Britain, CT, for a doubleheader against the Blue Devils of Central Connecticut. The first game is set to begin at 12:00 pm.