Softball Splits Pair of MASCAC Games with Framingham State

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – The visiting Bridgewater State University softball team split a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader with Framingham State University on Friday afternoon at Maple Street Field. Bridgewater won the first game, 6-1, while Framingham earned the split with a 6-3 victory in the nightcap.

The Bears are now 13-18 on the season and 8-2 in the MASCAC, while the host Rams see their record go to 18-14 overall and 11-1 in conference play.

Game One

Bridgewater won the first game, 6-1, behind a complete game, three-hitter by freshman pitcher Kelley Reichert (Milford, Mass.. Reichert allowed just the one run over seven innings, did not issue a walk and fanned one as she recorded her fifth win of the season.

Bridgewater State opened the scoring with an unearned run in the top of the third inning. Freshman Megan Sharon (East Longmeadow, Mass.) plated junior Samantha Mulcahy (Taunton, Mass.) with a fielder's choice grounder.

The Bears tacked on two more runs in the fifth. Mulcahy singled with one out and scored all the way from first on Sharon's RBI double. Senior Jenny Heller (Taunton, Mass.) followed with a base hit to score Sharon and give Bridgewater a 3-0 lead.

Bridgewater put the game out of reach with a three-run sixth inning as junior Shannon Grindle (Halifax, Mass.) singled home a run and senior Courtney Gouveia (Taunton, Mass.) capped off the frame with a two-run double.

Junior Mycala Moody (North Attleboro, Mass.) broke up Reichert's shutout bid with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.

Senior Kelsi Gunarathne (North Providence, R.I.) suffered the loss in the circle for the Rams. Gunarathne gave up six runs (five earned) on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Mulcahy went 2-for-4 with two runs scored to pace the BSU offense. Gouveia (1-for-2, BB) and Sharon (1-for-4) knocked in two runs apiece.

Game Two

Gunarathne (11-8) picked up the win in relief for the Rams in game two as she allowed one run on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings of work.

Bridgewater jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on Grindle's two-run single.

Junior Kaylea Sherman (North Attleboro, Mass.) answered with a two-run single in the home half of the second to knot the score at 2-2.

A BSU throwing error with two outs and two runners on in the bottom of the fifth allowed the go ahead run to score as the Rams took a 3-2 lead.

Framingham pushed across three runs in the sixth to extend the advantage to 6-3 as sophomore Grace Caughey (Mendon, Mass.) singled home a pair of runs and freshman Farrah Adam (West Springfield, Mass.) added an RBI base hit.

Mulcahy singled and scored all the way from first on Gouveia's double in the top of the seventh to account for the final score of 6-3.

Reichert (5-7) worked four innings of relief in the setback for the Bears as she gave up four runs on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

Sherman went 2-for-3 with a double and three runs batted in to pace the Rams' 12 hit attack in game two. Sophomore Camille Desrochers (Westford, Mass.) was 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and a run scored, while Adam went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Gouveia (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) was the lone Bear with multiple hits in the nightcap.

In upcoming action, the Bears entertain MCLA in a conference twinbill on Monday afternoon at three. The Rams travel to Brandeis University on Tuesday afternoon for a pair of games with the Judges also starting at three.