Softball Downs Pitt.-Bradford, Falls to Eastern Nazarene

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Bridgewater State University softball team split a pair of games at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Tuesday in Fort Myers, Florida.

The Bears (3-3) posted a 4-2 victory over Pitt.-Bradford before dropping a 6-1 decision to Eastern Nazarene College.

In the opener, senior pitcher Kathleen Bailey (Bayport, Ny.) tossed seven complete innings in the circle to pick up the win for the Bears. Bailey (2-1) allowed two runs on six hits. She walked three and fanned two.

Senior center fielder Breanna Shaffer (Plainville, Mass.) (2-for-3) and senior second baseman Courtney Leddy (Saugus, Mass.) (2-for-3)  paced the BSU offense with two hits apiece.

The Bears trailed 1-0 early as the Panthers pushed across a run in the top of the first on an RBI single by Madison East.

Bridgewater responded with a pair of runs in the home half of the first. Shaffer singled to opened the frame and advanced to second when Leddy reached on a fielder's choice. Two batters later, freshman shortstop Shannon Grindle (Halifax, Mass.) reached on a two-base throwing error allowing both Shaffer and Leddy to score.

The Bears took advantage of two more Bradford errors to tack on two more unearned runs in the bottom of the third.

The Panthers cut the deficit to 4-2 in the top of the fifth when East scored on a Betty Fratercangelo bases loaded RBI single with nobody out. Bradford was poised to do further damage but Bailey worked out of the jam with a strikeout and two harmless ground outs.

Bailey set down the side in order in the sixth and worked around a lead-off single in the seventh to secure the win.

In the second game, Eastern Nazarene scored all six runs over the first three innings and cruised to the win.

Elisabeth Schaffer got the scoring started with a two-run single in the bottom of the first. An RBI single by Viviana Coix followed by a two-run triple off the bat of Lauren Clements made it a 5-0 game in the second. Kayleen Garrick extended the Lions advantage to 6-0 with a run scoring single in the third.

The Bears avoided the shutout with a run in the top of the seventh. Senior first baseman Morgan Cox (Dennis Port, Mass.) doubled to lead off the frame, moved to third on a fly out and scored on junior designated player Kristyna Flaherty's (Burlington, Mass.) sacrifice fly.

Schaffer tossed seven complete innings in the circle to pick up the win for Eastern Nazarene. Schaffer (3-0) allowed one run on four hits. She walked two, and struck out six.

Sophomore pitcher Mackenzie Holt (Gilroy, Ca.) picked up the loss for the Bears as she surrendered six runs on ten hits over six innings. Holt (1-2) walked four and fanned two.

The Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic continues for the Bears on Wednesday when they take on Elms College (9:00 AM) and Alverno College (11:00 AM).