Softball Sweeps RIC

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University softball picked up their first doubleheader sweep of the season as the Bears downed visiting Rhode Island College, 8-4 and 5-2, on Tuesday afternoon at Alumni Park.

The host Bears improve to 7-9 on the season, while the Anchorwomen slip to 10-8.

In game one, the Bears took a 1-0 lead in the first as Brianna Strecker (Waterford, Conn.) led off the frame with a walk, moved to second on a passed ball and scored on an RBI single by Jennifer Shaw (Brockton, Mass.).

RIC tied the game at one in the third as Katelyn Sykora (Waterford, Conn.) reached on an infield single with one out, stole second, advance to third on a ground out and scored when Jessica Borden (Lincoln, R.I.) reached on an error.

The Bears moved back ahead with a pair of runs in the fourth. Jill Welch (Hubbardston, Mass.) led off the frame with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. After an infield out, Meagan Pacheco (Somerset, Mass.) ripped a single up the middle to plate Welch. Strecker followed with an RBI triple down the left field line to give the hosts the 3-1 advantage.

RIC answered with three runs in the top of the fifth to jump ahead 4-3. The Anchorwomen took advantage of some shaky BSU defense as they loaded the bases on two pop-ups sandwiched around a hit batsmen on a 1-2 count. A fielder's choice grounder to shortstop easily had the lead runner cut down at the plate, but the throw sailed over the catcher's glove allowing the run score. Borden followed with a two-run single to left-center to give the visitors the lead.

That lead would be short-lived however as Courtney Gregoire (Dartmouth, Mass.) belted a long two-run homer to left in the bottom half of the inning to put the Bears back on top, 5-4.

Bridgewater tacked on three more runs in the sixth on a three-run blast off the bat of Jessica Laudati (Berkley, Mass.). All three runs were unearned as the inning was kept alive by a two-out infield error.

Amber White (Middleboro, Mass.) went the distance in the circle for the Bears to pick up her fifth win of the season. White (5-3) allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits with a walk and eight strikeouts.

Shaw led the Bears 11-hit attack as she went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Strecker also reached safely in four plate appearances as she finished 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI.

Katelyn McCaughey (Warwick, R.I.) suffered the loss for the Anchorwomen as she gave up five runs (four earned) on nine hits and two walks over 4 1/3 innings. McCaughey (0-3) fanned five. Sykora (2-for-4) and Stacy Pokora (Wilton, Conn.) paced the visitors with two hits apiece.

In game two, back-to-back first inning doubles by Shaw and Laudati followed by an RBI single by Gregoire staked the Bears to an early 2-0 lead.

RIC cut the lead in half in the top of the second on an RBI double by Carli Matrisian (Milford, Conn,), but the Bears got the run back in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single off the bat of Jocelyn Bettencourt (Plymouth, Mass.).

Bridgewater tacked on a pair of unearned runs in the sixth to round out the scoring. Pacheco drove in the first run on a sacrifice bunt, while Strecker followed with an RBI single.

Meghan Dunn (Colchester, Mass.) went the distance for the Bears in game two. Dunn (2-6) gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits. She walked five and struck out five.

Shaw paced the BSU offense in game two as she doubled, walked and scored a run in three plate appearances,

The Anchorwomen left ten runners on base over the last six innings including two each in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings. RIC's Marisa Jandreau (Planville, Conn.) was the only multi-hit player in game two as she finished 2-for-4 with a double.

Michelle Sylvestre (Warwick, R.I.) was tagged with the loss as she allowed three runs on three hits and a walk in just an inning and a third.  Maria Darling (Ansonia, Conn.) worked the final 4 2/3 innings giving up a pair of unearned runs on three hits.  Darling walked three and fanned three.

Bridgewater is back in action tomorrow afternoon (3:30) as the Bears travel to Wheaton College for a non-conference twinbill with Lyons.