Softball Splts Pair of Games

CAPE CORAL, Fla. – The Bridgewater State University softball team split a pair of games on Monday at the Gene Cusick Collegiate Classic.  The Bears dropped a 7-2 decision to SUNY Potsdam and then blanked Wilmington College, 8-0.

Bridgewater is now 4-2 to start the 2011 season.

Freshman Corrie McCue (New Bedford, Mass.) tossed a complete game, five-hit shutout to highlight the Bears 8-0 win over Wilmington.  McCue (1-0) did not walk anyone and struck out two in her first collegiate start.

Bridgewater broke a scoreless tie in the fourth as freshman Kelly Fahey (Milton, Mass.) and senior Penny King (Hanover, Mass.) belted back-to-back home runs.  For Fahey it was her first career homer.  Junior Stephanie Burns (North Attleboro, Mass.) would cap off the three-run inning with an RBI bunt single.

The Bears would score two more runs in each of the next two innings and added a single tally in the seventh on King's second solo shot of the game.

In game one, Potsdam broke open a 2-2 tie with a five-run sixth inning highlighted by a three-run home run from sophomore Amanda Perry (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) and a two-run blast from junior Brittany Pawlowski (West Seneca, N.Y.).

Bridgewater had taken a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Burns and sophomore Brianna Strecker (Waterford, Ct.) both walked and came around to score on an infield throwing error.

The score stood that way until Potsdam tied the game in the fourth on an RBI double by Perry and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Pawlowski.

Bridgewater managed just two hits off of Potsdam freshman starter Ashley Thayer (Winthrop, N.Y.) who allowed just the two unearned runs and struck out 14.

Sophomore Meghan Dunn (Colchester, Ct.) earned a no decision for the Bears in the opener.  Dunn gave up two runs on five hits over five innings of work with a walk and three strikeouts.

Bridgewater returns to the diamond on Wednesday when the Bears take on Ohio Wesleyan at 1 PM and New Jersey City at 3.