Softball Splits MASCAC Doubleheader with Framingham State

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University softball team split a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader with visiting Framingham State University on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Park. Framingham State won the opener, 4-0, while Bridgewater State earned the split with a 10-2 mercy rule decision in game two.

The Bears see their record go to 12-11-1 on the season and 3-1 in the MASCAC, while the visiting Rams are now 10-10 overall and 3-1 in conference play. Bridgewater State holds a 78-21 lead in the all-time series which dates to 1984.

Game One: Framingham State 4, Bridgewater State 0

Junior righthander Ally Moran (Wilmington, Mass.) tossed a no-hitter to lead Framingham State to a 4-0 victory in game one. Moran (4-6), who retired 21 of the 24 batters she faced, gave up just a pair of walks and struck out eight. One BSU hitter reached on an error. Moran set down the first 12 hitters before issuing a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Rams pushed across a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fourth to break open a scoreless game. Framingham had just one hit in the frame but capitalized on a pair of walks and two key BSU miscues.

A two-run homer over the centerfield fence by junior left fielder Gwendolyn Carpenter (Ashley Falls, Mass.) in the top of the sixth extended the FSU lead to 4-0.

The Rams stranded ten runners on base in the game including the bases loaded in the first.

Freshman designated player Shelby Roode (Ashaway, R.I.) was the only batter to record multiple hits in game one as she went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. Carpenter (1-3) added a walk to her two-run homer.

Graduate centerfielder Alexandra Ruprecht (Kingston, Mass.) was the only Bear to reach safely as she walked twice in three plate appearances.

Sophomore righty Madelyn Klingel (Windsor, Conn.) was saddled with the loss in the circle for Bridgewater State. Klingel (2-2) allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts.

Game Two: Bridgewater State 10, Framingham State 2 (6 Inn.)

The Bears banged out 15 hits in game two as they earned the split with a 10-2 win in six innings.

The Rams opened the scoring with an unearned run in the top of the first inning. Junior centerfielder Grace Swanson (Lincoln, R.I.) singled with one out, advanced to third when Carpenter reached on a dropped pop up, and raced home on a wild pitch.

The Bears, who scored at least one run in every inning, answered with a pair of tallies in the home half of the first to take a 2-1 lead. Back-to-back base hits by freshman third baseman Emily Marcotte (North Dighton, Mass.) and senior right fielder Emma Healy (Plymouth, Mass.) to lead off the frame put runners at second and third with nobody out. Senior shortstop Megan Sharon (East Longmeadow, Mass.) followed with an RBI single up the middle scoring Marcotte with Healy also crossing the plate on outfield error.

Ruprecht connected for a two-run single in the second, while the Rams answered in the top of the third with an RBI single by sophomore first baseman Kelsey McGuill (East Longmeadow, Mass.) to make it a 4-2 game.

The Bears tacked on two runs in the third on an RBI infield single by Marcotte and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Healy. In the fourth, Sharon walked, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and raced home when freshman second baseman Amelia Blake (Raynham, Mass.) reached on an error. Jolly singled to lead off the fifth, advanced to second on a wild pitch, to third on a fly out and scored on Healy's RBI single to extend the BSU lead to 8-2.

The Bears ended the game in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the sixth. Singles by Ruprecht and graduate catcher Madison Synan (Quincy, Mass.) put runners at second and third with one out. A sacrifice fly by junior first baseman Olivia Silva (Somerset, Mass.) plated Ruprecht and, following a wild pitch, sophomore left fielder Janet Jolly (Raynham, Mass.) ended the game with an RBI single to center.

Senior righthander Kelley Reichert (Milford, Mass.) went the distance in the circle for the Bears to record her team-leading seventh win of the season. Reichert gave up two runs (one earned) on nine hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.

Sophomore righty Caroline Hughes (Canton, Mass.) allowed four runs on seven hits over 1 2/3 innings with one walk and one strikeout in the setback for the Rams.

Marcotte (2-4, SB, R, RBI), Healy (2-3, R, 2RBI), Sharon (2-3, BB, 2SB, 2R, RBI), Ruprecht (3-4, R, 2RBI) and Jolly (2-2, BB, 2R, RBI) all finished with multiple hits in game two for the Bears.

Freshman right fielder Brooke Grassia (Danvers, Mass.) went 2-for-3 to pace the Rams' nine-hit attack in the nightcap.

The Bears are back in action on Wednesday afternoon when they entertain the Engineers of WPI with game one of the non-conference doubleheader getting underway at 3:30. The Rams host a non-conference twinbill with Babson College on Tuesday afternoon starting at three o'clock.