Softball Drops Pair of Games to Johnson & Wales

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The visiting Bridgewater State University softball team dropped a pair of games to Johnson & Wales University on Saturday afternoon at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletics Complex.

The host Wildcats improve to 12-1 with their sixth straight win, while the Bears fall to 7-8-1.

Game One: Johnson & Wales 10, Bridgewater State 6

Johnson & Wales banged out 13 hits in the opener including seven for extra bases, three of which were home runs.

Freshman centerfielder Caroline Amorelli (Winslow, N.J.) belted a three-run blast in the third inning to stake the hosts to a 7-1 lead.

The Bears rallied to close the gap to 7-6. Graduate centerfielder Alexandra Ruprecht (Kingston, Mass.) doubled and scored on graduate catcher Madison Synan's (Quincy, Mass.) RBI double in the top of the fourth. Senior shortstop Megan Sharon (East Longmeadow, Mass.) cracked a two-run double in the fifth and Ruprecht followed with a two-run homer in the frame to make it a one-run game.

The Wildcats answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the fifth as junior catcher Meaghan Gurska (Revere, Mass.) homered and sophomore shortstop Julia Huzi (Trumbull, Conn.) connected for an RBI single to extend the JWU lead to 9-6. Sophomore first baseman Hailey Erickson (Calimesa, Calif.) capped off the scoring with a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth.

Freshman pitcher Mackenzie Clee (Warminster, Pa.) tossed the first six innings in the circle for the Wildcats to pick her third win of the season. Clee (3-0) allowed two runs on six hits with a walk and three strikeouts.

Three BSU hurlers combined to give up ten runs on 13 hits with a walk and five strikeouts.

Huzi went 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs and an RBI to pace the JWU offense. Erickson (2-3, HR, BB, 2R, RBI) and Gurska (2-2, HR, HBP, R, RBI) also finished with multiple hits for the Wildcats as did senior second baseman Kaelini Gamble (Vancouver, Wash.) who singled twice in four at bats, scored a run and drove in one.

Ruprecht continued her hot hitting for the Bears as she went 3-for-3 with a walk, a pair of doubles, a home run, three runs and two RBI.

Game Two: Johnson & Wales 14, Bridgewater State 4 (5 Inn.)

Johnson & Wales amassed 14 more hits in game two, including five for extra bases, as the Wildcats cruised to the 14-4 victory in the nightcap. The eight-run mercy rule put an end to the game after the Bears were retired in the top of the fifth.

Gurska (3-for-3) connected for two more home runs in game two and drove in seven runs. She belted a two-run homer in the Wildcats' five-run second inning and blasted a three-run dinger in a nine-run third inning.

JWU sent 14 batters to the plate in the decisive third inning. Gurska single-handedly knocked in five runs in the frame as she added a two-run single to her three-run blast.

Erickson also finished with three hits in game two for the hosts as she went 3-for-3 with a double and three runs scored.

Huzi doubled and singled in four at bats and scored a pair of runs, while senior third baseman Jill Pulek (Cheshire, Conn.) and sophomore designated player Talia Smaller (Salem, Mass.) also finished with multiple hits for the Wildcats. Pulek went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Smaller reached safely in three bats with a pair of singles, a walk, two runs and two RBI.

Ruprecht (2-for-3) extended her hitting streak to 11 games with a base hit in the second inning. She eventually came around to score the Bears' first run of the game when junior designated player Kerrin McLaughlin (Haverhill, Mass.) reached on an error.

Ruprecht is batting .586 (17-for-29) during the 11-game streak with three home runs, three doubles, six walks, 15 runs and 13 RBI.

BSU sophomore first baseman Morgan Cournoyer (Burrillville, R.I.) connected for a three-run homer in the top of the fourth inning to round out the scoring. Cournoyer is tied with Ruprecht for the team lead in home runs with three.

Freshman pitcher Katie Scheid (Hightstown, N.J.) went the first four innings in the circle for the Wildcats to record the win. Scheid (2-1) allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits with a strikeout.

Four BSU pitchers combined to give up 14 runs (11 earned) on 14 hits with three walks and a strikeout.

The Bears are back in action on Tuesday afternoon when they entertain Wheaton College at Alumni Park with game one of the twinbill getting underway at 3:00 PM.