By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Here's a look at the week ahead (May 4-10) for the Bridgewater State University athletics teams:
TUESDAY
SOFTBALL, at Framingham State, 4:00 PM: The fifth-seeded Bears open the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament with an elimination game against the fourth-seeded Rams at the Maple Street Field.
BSU (17-20) finished two games behind Framingham State (17-21) in the standings, going 8-8 in the MASCAC while the Rams were 10-6.
The teams split a doubleheader in Framingham on April 4, BSU winning, 11-1, in a game halted after five innings while the Rams won, 9-1, in six innings.
BSU and Framingham State last met in the tournament in 2023 when they played in the championship round, the Rams winning the title. The two teams also played in the MASCAC final in 2022, 2021 and 2019.
THURSDAY
BASEBALL, at home, MASCAC tournament, 3:00 PM: The top-seeded Bears (27-8) host an opening-round game in the conference tournament against either fourth-seeded Anna Maria (25-15) or fifth-seeded Westfield State (15-24).
The AMCATS and Owls play an elimination game at BSU starting at noon, and the winner advances to the double-elimination portion of the tourney to go against the Bears.
BSU has won four straight MASCAC tournament championships. The tourney will continue Friday and Saturday at Bridgewater State with an if-necessary game Sunday.
FRIDAY
MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD, at the NEICAAA Championships, 10:00 AM: The Bears will be at Stonehill College's WB Mason Stadium for the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association Championships.
The only BSU participant on the opening day will be senior Kyle Ackroyd (Charlestown, R.I.) in the 10,000-meter race at 5:15 p.m.
WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD, at the NEICAAA Championships, 10:00 AM: The Skyhawks will take part in the meet at Stonehill that includes athletes from all three divisions.
On the opening day, senior Naomi Cass (Westport, Mass.) will run in the 10,000-meter race at 5:15 p.m.
Cass was third in the event last year for All-NEICAAA honors.
MEN'S TENNIS, vs. Skidmore College, NCAA Division III tournament, 3:00 PMt: The Bears make their second appearance in the national tournament,. this time at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.
BSU (12-4) has a 10-match winning streak going and earned a spot in the NCAAs by defeating Rhode Island College, 4-3, for the Little East Conference championship.
The Bears lost to MIT in the NCAAs in 2024.
Skidmore is and is ranked 24th in the nation. The Thoroughbreds are making their 13th trip to the NCAAs and first since 2021.
The winner plays Babson College in the second round Saturday.
SATURDAY
MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD, at the NEICAA Championships, 10:00 AM: The two-day meet at Stonehill finishes BSU having six individuals and two relay teams competing.
Freshman Clayton Pastor Norales (New Bedford, Mass.) will be in the long jump at 11 a.m. and junior Aydan Fournier (Assonet, Mass.) runs in the 800 at 2:50 p.m.
Junior Matthew Mooney (Douglas, Mass.) runs in the 100 preliminary race at 1:55 p.m. and the 200 at 4:30 p.m.
Senior Jayvon Epps (Brockton, Mass.) is also in the 100 preliminary at 1:55 p.m.
Graduate student Landon Crowley (West Bridgewater, Mass.) and senior Dasean Peters-Wolfe (Mansfield, Mass.) are in the 200.
The 4x100 relay team of Crowley, Peters-Wolfe, Mooney and junior Zachary Feist (Stoughton, Mass.) runs at 12:15 p.m. while the 4x400 team of senior Nicholas Grace (Acushnet, Mass.), senior Chris Beaulieu (Monson, Mass.), Fournier and senior Ryker King (Wareham, Mass.) race at 5:15 p.m.
WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD, at the NEICAA Championships, 10:00 AM: The lone participant the Bears on the second and final day will be sophomore Grace Inacio (Taunton, Mass.).
She will run in the 100-meter preliminary race. at 1:45 p.m. with the final at 3:25 p.m.. and also the 200 at 4:20 p.m.