Softball Downs Rockford, Falls to Albion

NAPLES, Fla. – The Bridgewater State University softball team split a pair of games at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Monday in Naples, Florida.

The Bears (2-2) dropped a 6-2 decision to Albion College before bouncing back with a 5-2 win over Rockford University.

In the opener, Albion used a five-run fifth inning to come away with the 6-2 victory.

Bridgewater trailed 1-0 heading into the fifth inning but rallied for two runs in the top half of the inning to take a 2-1 lead.

Back-to-back singles by junior left fielder Courtney Banzi (Plymouth, Mass.) and sophomore right fielder Julianne Coleman (Roslindale, Mass.) put runners at first and second with nobody out. After a fielder's choice ground out, senior second baseman Courtney Leddy (Saugus, Mass.) laced an RBI double to center field to plate Banzi with the tying run. Senior center fielder Breanna Shaffer (Plainville, Mass.), who had reached on the fielder's choice, then scored on a wild pitch to put the Bears up by one.

That lead was short-lived, however, as Albion responded with five runs in the home half of the fifth. The Britons took advantage of three walks and two critical BSU errors in the frame.

Madison Kortas tossed seven complete innings in the circle to pick up the win for Albion. Kortas (2-1) allowed two runs on eight hits. She walked one and fanned one.

Senior pitcher Kathleen Bailey (Bayport, Ny.) went the distance for the Bears in the setback. Bailey (1-1) gave up six runs, only two of which were earned, while recording two strikeouts. She allowed just three hits but walked six and hit a batter.

Shaffer (2-for-4) and Leddy (2-for-4)  paced the BSU offense with two hits apiece. Leddy rapped out a pair of doubles and drove in a run.

Madison McConnell reached safely in three of her four plate appearances as she walked three times. Angela Hoffsis went 1-for-4 with a pair of stolen bases and two runs scored.

In the second game, senior first baseman Morgan Cox (Dennis Port, Mass.) broke a 2-2 tie with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning and the Bears would tack on a pair of runs in the sixth to pull away for the 5-2 triumph.

Sophomore pitcher Mackenzie Holt (Gilroy, Ca.) notched her first collegiate win in the circle for Bridgewater. Holt (1-1) gave up two runs on five hits and walk with four strikeouts.

Down 1-0 early, the Bears pushed across two runs in the second on an RBI single by Banzi and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Coleman.

Rockford tied it in the top of the fifth as Taylor Pilarczyk walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Stefaney Kenworthy's RBI double.

Kenworthy went 2-for-3 at the plate and hurled a complete game in the circle for the Regents. She allowed five runs (three earned) on nine hits and two walks in the setback.

Banzi (2-for-3) and Leddy (2-for-4) both finished with two hits to highlight the Bears' offense. Senior third baseman Samantha LoPilato (Medford, Mass.) recorded three sacrifice bunts in four plate appearances.

The Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic continues for the Bears on Tuesday when they take on Pitt-Bradford (1:00 PM) and Eastern Nazarene College (3:00 PM).