Softball Splits Doubleheader with Farmingdale State

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Bridgewater State College softball team split a doubleheader with Farmingdale State University (NY) this afternoon at the Disney Sports Diamondplex in Kissimmee, Florida.

The Bears (7-1) suffered their first loss of the season with a 3-2 eight-inning defeat in game one, but earned a split of the twinbill with a 4-2 victory in the nightcap.

Senior right-hander Alyssa Verronneau (Acushnet, MA) pitched well for BSC in the opener.  After giving up a first-inning two-run homer, Verronneau settled in and did not allow a run the rest of the way.   She walked five and struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings of work.

Fellow senior Stephanie Pierce (Worcester, MA) took the loss for the Bears in relief.  Pierce got the final out of the seventh inning before giving up the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth.

Bridgewater got on the board in the top of the first on an RBI single by junior right fielder Meghan Noyes (Stoughton, MA).  Farmingdale responded in the bottom half of the inning as sophomore Nicole Farber (Oakdale, NY) belted the two-run homer.

The score remained 2-1 in favor of the Rams until the top of the seventh when senior center fielder Allie LeBlanc (Somerset, MA) singled in sophomore left fielder Tracey Sanko (Windsor, CT) with the game-tying run.

After Bridgewater wasted a golden opportunity to take the lead in the top of the eighth, Farmingdale pushed across the winning run on a bunt single and some aggressive base running.

LeBlanc went 3-for-4 in the opener with an RBI, while senior third baseman Stacy Capodiece (East Lyme, CT) finished 2-for-4 with a double.

In game two, the Bears jumped ahead 4-0 and held on the for the 4-2 victory.

Pierce (3-1) picked up the win in the circle as she gave up two runs on three hits in 6 2/3 innings of work.  She did not walk a batter and struck out eight.

Junior right-hander Jamie Ducinski (Duxbury, MA) earned her second save of the season as she got the final out of the seventh inning, a strikeout with the tying run at the plate.

BSC took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI double by LeBlanc.  The Bears made it a 2-0 game in the second when sophomore catcher Bridget Engwer (Wrentham, MA) singled in Noyes from second base.  Noyes had singled with one out and then stole second.

Bridgewater got two big runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to some shaky Farmingdale defense.  The Bears loaded the bases with nobody out on an error and pair of singles by Noyes and sophomore pinch hitter Penny King (Hanover, MA). After Farmingdale cut down a runner at home on a fielder's choice groundout, Engwer reached on another Ram error to plate King with BSC's third run of the game.  Sanko then made it a 4-0 lead as she knocked in Noyes with a bunt single.

Farber led off the top of the seventh with her second home run of the doubleheader, a solo shot which cut the deficit to 4-1.  After Pierce retired the next two batters, freshman center fielder Rebecca Richman (West Islip, NY) made it a two-run game as she belted the Rams second home run of the inning.  Ducinski came on and, after giving up a single to the first batter she faced, ended the game with a big strikeout.

Sanko went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI in game two while LeBlanc was 2-for-4 with an RBI.  Noyes finished with two hits in three at bats as she also scored a pair of runs.

The Bears wrap up their Florida trip on Thursday as they take on Newbury College in a doubleheader which gets underway at 8 AM.