SHIRLEY, NY - Despite allowing just seven hits over two games, the Bloomfield Collge softball team was swept by Dowling College in a non-conference doubleheader. The Bears dropped game one, 4-1 and fell to the Golden Lions 1-0 in game two.

Bloomfield (10-6) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first game when the bottom of the lineup started a rally in the top of the second inning.

"Against a good team like Dowling, you have to take advantage of every opportunity you get," said head coach Rocco Constantino. "We had bases loaded with less than two outs twice and only got one run out of it. Then each of their runs came after mistakes by us. Teams that are as talented and as well-coached as Dowling will take advantage of that."

Angela Hauser walked and Annette Daw and Janese Timmons followed with singles to load the bases with one out. Melissa Yepez then delivered home Hauser with an infield hit to give Bloomfield an early 1-0 lead.

Dowling tied the game in the third on a wild pitch, then took a 2-1 lead on a single to left after another wild pitch put a baserunner in scoring position. The Golden Lions were able to tack on two insurance runs on two walks and a two-out double in the fifth.

The Bears didn't threaten from there as they didn't register any hits beyond the fifth inning.

Kirsten Wilson (6-2) was the hard-luck loser. She pitched six innings, allowed just four hits and struck out five. Bloomfield had six hits in the game, but left eight runners on base. They left the bases loaded in the second and had a bases loaded, one-out rally snuffed out when a runner was doubled off of second base on a line drive to center.

In game two, Bloomfield received an even better pitching performance, this time from Stephanie Miller, but once again couldn't muster any support against Dowling.

Miller (4-4) gave up just three hits, but one of them was a two-out, RBI single in the third to give Dowling the only run of the game.

"Stephanie pitched incredibly well against one of the best team's we'll see all season," said Constantino. "I thought it was one of the best performances of her career here. It's a real shame we couldn't scrape across a couple of runs to support her."

The Bears had runners in scoring position in the first, second and fourth innings, but failed to get the clutch hit each time. The Bears' best chance for a run came in the second inning when an attempted sqeeze bunt went directly back to the pitcher, who shuffled it home for the easy out.

Bloomfield had five hits in the game, with Shannon Brennan recording the team's only extra base hit on the day, a double off the right center field fence in the fourth inning.

"We try to schedule tough non-conference games to help us prepare for our season," said Constantino. "Being able to compete against Dowling, who is traditionally one of the top teams in the region should give us a lot of confidence moving forward. They made a number of incredible defensive plays against us and their pitchers did a nice job when we were able to put pressure on them. These games will make us better."

Bloomfield is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, March 24 at home against Nyack in their 2015 home opener. The game is still listed as tentative pending field conditions. Be sure to follow the latest BC Softball action on Twitter @BC_Bears_SB