SCORE: Bryant 7, UAlbany 5
LOCATION: Bearcats Sports Complex - Vestal, N.Y.
RECORDS: UAlbany 20-26, 9-8 America East | Bryant 21-31, 8-9 America East
SHORT STORY: The Great Danes started strong but a five-run third inning for Bryant proved to be the difference in a loss for UAlbany, Saturday afternoon.
KEY STATS
- Senior Caitlyn Frederick led the team with three hits and two runs in four at bats. She also stole two bases.
- Sophomore Mary Kate Murray and redshirt-senior Victoria Vilarchao added two hits each.
- Vilarchao drove in a team-high two RBI.
- As a team, the Great Danes slammed three extra-base hits - two triples (Murray and junior Deanna Grahek) and a double (junior Sara Anderson).
- Freshman Hayley Wieczerzak started the game with six strikeouts in 2.2 innings. Redshirt-senior Kate Powers came in for relief with three strikeouts and only one walk in 4.1 innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Hayley Wieczerzak started the game with two strikeouts in four batters in the top of the first.
- The Great Danes opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with two runs.
- With an infield single, a wild pitch, and a fly ball deep into right field, Caitlyn Frederick was on third when Mary Kate Murray hit a single through the right side for an RBI.
- Freshman Vanessa Meyers followed with a third first-inning single to put a runner in scoring position.
- Victoria Vilarchao singled down the right field line to bring in a runner and keep two on base.
- After junior Sara Anderson drew a walk, the bases were loaded with two outs but all three were left on base at the end of the first.
- In the top of the second, the UAlbany defense once again retired three of four batters. Wieczerzak struck out two looking and one swinging.
- In her second plate appearance, Frederick singled to left center.
- After stealing second, Frederick was in prime position to score when sophomore Taylor Quinn added an RBI single to right center.
- Bryant took the lead in the top of the third, 5-3. Kate Powers took the circle with one out remaining and runners on first and third. After a steal, she struck out the final batter to get out of the inning.
- UAlbany answered and tied the score before the end of the third.
- With one out on the board, junior Deanna Grahek hit a triple to left field.
- Vilarchao immediately followed to bring Grahek home and Anderson hit a double to put two runners in scoring position.
- Kristina Langdon, pinch-hitting, hit a sacrifice fly to bring in freshman Jenny Nardelli, pinch-running, and tie the game, 5-5.
- Bryant scored two in the fourth inning to take a 7-5 lead.
- Frederick opened the bottom of the fourth with her third single but was left stranded on first base.
- Going scoreless through the sixth inning, Murray hit a triple to right field in the bottom of the seventh but two strikeouts later and the Bulldogs had secured their 7-5 win.
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