BOWIE, Md. – The Bowie State softball team will make a trip down to Virginia as the Bulldogs are scheduled to face Virginia Union and Virginia State in division doubleheaders on Saturday, Apr. 9, and Sunday, Apr. 10. Game times are set for 1 p.m.
Opponents:
Virginia Union (9-7, 6-4 CIAA, 3-1 North)
Virginia State (14-8, 8-2 CIAA, 3-1 North)
When:
Saturday, Apr. 9 at Virginia Union | 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. | Richmond, Va.
Sunday, Apr. 10 at Virginia State | 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. | Ettrick, Va.
Scouting the Bulldogs:
The Bulldogs (12-14-1) opened division play with a pair of wins over Lincoln (PA) Sunday (4/3). Bowie State defeated the Lions by the scores of 9-1 and 10-3 in Bowie, Md., led by freshman Alyssa Cloutier (Derwood, MD) who went six-of-eight from the plate, including two doubles, over two games to finish with a .750 batting average and on-base percentage (OBP) as well as a 1.000 slugging percentage. Additionally, she scored six runs and drove in another two runs while also stealing four bases for a CIAA Rookie of the Week selection announced by the league office on Monday.
While Cloutier is the top offensive attacker for the Bulldogs, graduate senior Evvie Buehlman (Ellicott City, MD) follows with a batting clip of .444, a team-high 32 hits, eight doubles, and a pair of home runs. In the circle, junior Akirra Pullen (Baltimore, MD) is 3-1 with an ERA of 4.58 in 35.1 innings of work and 21 strikeouts while Buehlman is one win from .500 with a 6-7 mark on the year – she has accounted for 57 strikeouts in 67.1 innings pitched.
Defensively, freshman Breanna Harvey (York, PA) has 135 putouts and 10 assists with a .967 fielding percentage playing at first base while in the outfield, the Bulldogs are solid from centerfield led by senior Shanya Gordon (Elkridge, MD) who has 27 putouts, two assists and a fielding percentage of .967.
Bowie State is 5-3 in the CIAA and 2-0 in the Northern Division heading to Virginia this weekend. The Bulldogs are currently in third place within the division.
The Series
Bowie State and Virginia Union will meet for the 26th and 27th time; the Bulldogs are 16-9 against the Lady Panthers since 2009. Bowie State has won seven of the last 10 matchups against VUU as both teams split in 2019 with BSU winning games 1, 7-3 but falling in the nightcap, 6-4 in Richmond, Va. The Lady Panthers are coming off a split with Elizabeth City State, 12-3, 0-8 last time out.
Against Virginia State, Bowie State leads the all-time series 14-11 since 2009. However, VSU has won the last two meetings, including an 11-4 and 9-0 win over the Bulldogs back on Mar. 30, 2019. The Trojans are coming off a sweep over Shaw, 5-1 and 18-2 on the road last time out.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State University Athletics and its 13 varsity sports teams, please visit www.bsubulldogs.com.