Softball Sweeps Mass. Maritime in MASCAC Doubleheader

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. --  Senior Courtney Leddy (Saugus, Mass.) rapped out six hits and drove in six runs to lead Bridgewater State to a sweep of a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference softball doubleheader from Massachusetts Maritime Thursday afternoon by scores of 17-1 in the opener and 9-1 in the nightcap in a pair of six inning outings played at Alison Rollins Field.

Bridgewater clinched a spot in next week's MASCAC Tournament and moved into a tie for fifth place with Fitchburg State University.

The visiting Bears (14-18, 6-6 MASCAC) jumped out to a 6-0 second inning lead in the lid-lifter and extended that margin to 7-0 in the fifth on a steal of home by sophomore Courtney Gouveia (Taunton, Mass.), and Bridgewater State erupted for 10 runs and 11 hits in the sixth inning to ice its opening triumph.

Leddy collected four of the Bears' 20 hits and plated five runs in the first contest, while senior Breanna Shaffer (Plainville, Mass.) added three hits while driving in a pair of runs for the winners. Gouveia added two hits and three RBI for Bridgewater State, which received two hits and a pair of RBI from freshman Shannon Grindle (Halifax, Mass.) as well as two hits each from senior Morgan Cox (Dennis Port, Mass.) and junior Kacie Carvalho (Fairhaven, Mass.).

Senior Kathleen Bailey (Bayport, N.Y.) earned her ninth win of the season inside the circle for the Bears, as she scattered four hits and struck out six over the first five innings of action.

Junior Carli Thomas (Brewster, Mass.) rapped out a pair of hits and drove in the host Buccaneers' (5-15, 0-12 MASCAC) lone run of the opening game with a sixth inning RBI single, as junior Sarah Monteiro (North Falmouth, Mass.), sophomores Brooke Miles (Lynn, Mass.) and Emily Goodwin (Halifax, Mass.) and freshman Jill Corazzini (Paxton, Mass.) also collected hits in the first contest.

Freshman Jenna Nalette (Goffstown, N.H.) went the distance inside the circle for Massachusetts Maritime, as she fanned one in suffering the setback.

Bridgewater State jumped out to a 3-0 first inning lead in the nightcap on a two-run double by Grindle and a Leddy RBI single, but the Buccaneers got back to within two in the third on Corazzini's RBI double. The Bears extended that margin to 7-1 in the fifth on a two-run double by junior Kristyna Flaherty (Burlington, Mass.) that was followed by a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore Tabitha Domeij (Westboro, Mass.), and RBI singles by Flaherty and senior Samantha LoPilato (Medford, Mass.) in the top of the sixth closed out the scoring.

Flaherty and LoPilato each had four of the visitors' 14 nightcap hits in support of sophomore Mackenzie Holt (Gilroy, Calif.), who scattered six hits and fanned four to pick up her third victory of the spring.

Sophomore Serena Colbert (Plymouth, Mass.) collected two of six hits in the nightcap for the Buccaneers, who received singles from Miles, junior Kaylene Murphy (Randolph, Mass.) and sophomore Rachel Gardner (Bourne, Mass.).  Thomas went the distance for the hosts inside the circle, as she struck out one in her first start of the season.

Massachusetts Maritime heads to Westfield, Mass. on Friday afternoon to take on Westfield State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m., while Bridgewater State travels to Framingham, Mass. on Saturday afternoon to square off with Framingham State in a MASCAC twinbill that also begins at 1:00 p.m.

-- Courtey Mass. Maritime Sports Information Office --