Softball Sweeps MASCAC Twinbill on Senior Day

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University softball team swept a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader over Westfield State University on Senior Day ay Alumni Park. Bridgewater State won the first game, 6-2, and completed the sweep with an 11-3, five-inning victory in the nightcap.

The Bears end the regular season with an overall record of 17-19 including a 12-2 mark in the MASCAC. The Owls fall to 11-23 overall and 8-6 in conference play.

Game One

Freshman Alexandra Taylor (Hebron, Conn.) went 2-for-2 with a double and three RBI, and classmate Kelley Reichert (Milford, Mass.) picked up the complete game victory in the circle to lead the Bears to the 6-2 victory in game one.

Reichert  (7-7) gave up two runs on just four hits with no walks and seven strikeouts as she notched her seventh win of the season.

Bridgewater State opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning as the Bears loaded the bases with one out on a pair of Westfield errors and a Shannon Grindle (Halifax, Mass.) single. Freshman Alexandra Taylor (Hebron, Conn.) knocked in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to give the hosts the early 1-0 lead.

A two-out, two-run single off the bat of senior Maddie Keigwin (Sutton, Mass.) in the top of the third inning pushed the Owls out in front, 2-1.

The BSU offense then struck for four runs on four hits in the bottom of the third inning to jump back on top, 5-2. Back-to-back doubles by senior Courtney Gouveia (Taunton, Mass.) and freshman Megan Sharon (East Longmeadow, Mass.) got the rally started. Junior Meghan Navarro (Taunton, Mass.) added an RBI single and Taylor capped of the scoring in the frame with a two-run double.

Sharon singled with two outs in the home half of the fourth and scored all the way from first on senior Jenny Heller's (Taunton, Mass.) double to the gap in left-centerfield to make it a 6-2 game.

Sharon (2-for-4, 2B, 2R, RBI) and Heller (2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI) also finished with multiple hits for the Bears in game one.

Sophomore Emily Arredondo (Woburn, Mass.) suffered the loss in the circle for Westfield. Arredondo (6-10) allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts.

Game Two

Heller went 2-for-2 with a walk, a run scored and three RBI to lead the Bears to the 11-3 victory in game two and a sweep of the doubleheader. The game was stopped after 4 ½ innings due to the eight-run mercy rule.

Junior Natalie Sorrenti (Bridgewater, Mass.) went the distance in the circled to record her team-leading eighth win of the season. Sorrenti (8-7) gave up three runs on 11 hits with no walks and a strikeout.

The Owls took the early 1-0 lead as senior Bri Tortora (Worcester, Mass.) led off the game with a base hit and eventually came around to score on an RBI ground out.

The Bears answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Junior Samantha Mulcahy (Taunton, Mass.) and Gouveia both got hit by a pitch to open the frame. After a stolen base and a throwing error put runners on second and third, Heller delivered an RBI single to plate Mulcahy, and Gouveia would also score on the play on another Westfield miscue.

A sacrifice fly by sophomore Sarah Meunier (Deerfield, Mass.) and Tortora's RBI single put the Owls back on top, 3-2, in the top of the second.

That lead would be short-lived, however, as the Bears scored four times in the home half of the second on a pair of two-run singles by Gouveia and Heller.

Bridgewater tacked on three more runs in the third. Sophomore Alexandra Ruprecht (Kingston, Mass.) singled and Taylor followed with a double to put runners on second and third with one out. An RBI ground out by senior Mackenzie Holt (Gilroy, Calif.) brought in Ruprecht with the first run of the inning. Mulcahy then rifled an RBI triple down the right field line and raced home on an errant throw to third to give BSU a 9-3 lead.

In the fourth, back-to-back walks to Heller and Grindle followed by a pinch hit RBI single off the bat of senior Rebecca Uschmann (Feeding Hills, Mass.) made it a seven-run game, 10-3. Freshman pinch runner Emma Healy (Plymouth, Mass.) raced home from third on throwing error to cap off the scoring.

Ruprecht (2-for-3, run) also finished with multiple hits for Bridgewater in game two, while Mulcahy went 1-for-1, was twice hit by a pitch, scored three runs and knocked in one. Gouveia was 1-for-2 (HBP) at the plate with two runs and two RBI.

Junior Emily Woodworth (Marlborough, Mass.) allowed nine runs (eight earned) on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings of work in the setback for the Owls. Woodworth (4-6) hit three batters, did not issue a walk and fanned one.

Tortora, senior Caitlin Hughes (Hanson, Mass.) and freshman Colleen Hughes (Hanson, Mass.) each went 2-for-3 at the dish for Westfield in the nightcap.

Both teams will compete in the MASCAC Tournament next week. Seedings have yet to be determined.

Prior to the games, the Bears honored seniors Gouveia, Heller, Holt,, Uschmann, Kacie Carvalho (Fairhaven, Mass.) and Tabitha Domeij (Westborough, Mass.).

Notes: Heller, who finished with two hits in each game, extended her hitting streak to 13 games.