Softball Sweeps Westfield State on Senior Day

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University softball team wrapped up regular season play with a Senior Day sweep of visiting Westfield State University on Saturday afternoon in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader at Alumni Park. The Bears won the opener, 6-1, and completed the sweep with a 7-6 walk-off victory in game two.

The Bears improve to 13-26-1 on the season and 9-5 in the MASCAC, while the Owls fall to 22-16 overall and 9-5 in conference play. Bridgewater has won 13 of the last 14 meetings of the two teams. The Bears are also 81-23 versus the Owls since 1983.

Bridgewater is the #2 seed in next week's MASCAC Tournament and will have a first-round bye. The Bears will host either #3 Worcester State University or #6 Massachusetts Maritime Academy on Friday afternoon at three o'clock. Westfield is seeded fourth in the tournament and will entertain #5 Fitchburg State University on Wednesday afternoon at 3:30.

Game One: Bridgewater State 6, Westfield State 1

Madelyn Klingel (Windsor, Conn.) went the distance in the circle to lead Bridgewater State to the 6-1 victory in game one. Klingel (5-12) gave up just one run on eight hits over seven innings with a walk and seven strikeouts. The complete game marked her first of the season and just the second for the Bears' pitching staff.

Janet Jolly (Raynham, Mass.) belted a two-run homer over the left field fence to stake the Bears to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The home run marked Jolly's first of the season and third of her career.

The Owls cut the deficit to 2-1 in the top of the third. Sarah Hough (Southwick, Mass.) doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a line drive single up the middle by Mia Alfonso (Dalton, Mass.). One out later, Hough beat the throw home on a sacrifice fly to right off the bat of Alyssa Clark (Uxbridge, Mass.).

The Bears sent eight batters to the plate in a four-run fifth inning to extend the lead to 6-1. A bases loaded wild pitch got the scoring started in the inning. After a walk to Jolly re-loaded the bases, Madison Dana (Lynn, Mass.) lined a two-run single into right-centerfield with Jolly also coming around to score as a result of a Westfield error.

Stephanie Scoville (Northfield, Mass.) was tagged with the loss in the complete game effort for the Owls. Scoville (11-6) allowed six runs (five earned) on five hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.

Marcotte reached safely three times with a double, a single and a walk to lead the way for Bridgewater State. She also scored two runs. Jolly went 1-for-2 with the two-run homer. She also walked and scored two runs.

Alfonso went 3-for-4 to highlight the Westfield offense.

Game Two: Bridgewater State 7, Westfield State 6

Alicia Habib's (Haverhill, Mass.) walk-off two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted the Bears to the 7-6 comeback win in game two and the sweep of the doubleheader.

The Bears jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first. With one out, Kerrin McLaughin (Haverhill, Mass.) and Jolly connected for back-to-back singles. One out later, Dana reached on an error allowing McLaughlin to score all the way from second.

McLaughlin singled to lead off the third inning, stole second and came around on an RBI single by Amelia Blake (Raynham, Mass.) to give the hosts a 2-0 advantage.

A two-run double by Clark tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fourth inning and brought on a BSU pitching change. Christina Ciampa (Rockville, Conn.) followed with an RBI single to give the visitors their first lead of the afternoon.

The Owls extended the lead to 4-2 in the fifth. Jordyn Lummus (Pittsfield, Mass.) singled with one out, stole second, advanced to third on a Hough base hit, and raced home when Hough was caught stealing.

The Bears rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. Singles by Emily Marcotte (North Dighton, Mass.) and Jolly followed by a fly out and a Jolly stolen base put two runners in scoring position. Dana then lined an RBI single up the middle to plate Marcotte. Jolly got caught in a rundown between third and home but slid in safely at the plate to knot the score.

Westfield answered with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth on an RBI ground out by Abby Higgins (Orleans, Mass.) and an RBI bloop single by Sabrina Testa (Hudson, N.H.) to reclaim the lead.

Four Owl errors in the home half of the sixth led to an unearned run as a McLaughlin RBI single pulled the Bears to within one at 6-5.

That would set the stage for the dramatic seventh. Dana reached on an error with one out in the bottom of the frame and was replaced on the base paths by Emily Eastman (Cranston, R.I.). Olivia Silva (Somerset, Mass.) followed with a base hit to right field to put runners at the corners. Molly Thibaudeau (Lincoln, R,I.) then reached on a fielder's choice ground out with Eastman getting cut down at the plate and Silva advancing to third. After Thibaudeau stole second, Habib lined a two-run single just off the outstretched glove of the Westfield right fielder to win the game.

Laura Hatch (Middleboro, Mass.) picked up the win in relief for the Bears. Hatch (2-0) allowed two runs on two hits in two innings of work with two walks and two strikeouts. McKayla Cusack (West Have, Conn.) got the start for the Bears and gave up three runs on four hits over 3 1/3 innings with no walks and three strikeouts. Tatiana Burcy (Hyde Park, Mass.) allowed a run on three hits over 1 2/3 innings of relief with no walks and two strikeouts.

Gianna Conte (Greenfield, Mass.) went the distance for the Owls in the setback. Conte (5-7) allowed seven runs (three earned) on 12 hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Four of the seven runs were unearned due to six Westfield errors.

McLaughin went 3-for-3 with a stolen base, two runs and an RBI to pace the Bears' 12-hit attack. Jolly (2-4, SB, R) also registered multiple hits for Bridgewater State.

Hough singled three times in four attempts and scored a run to lead the way for Westfield State in game two. Sarah Bingham (Reno, Nev.) went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs, while Clark (1-2) doubled, walked, scored two runs, and drove in two.

Notes: The Bears honored seniors Dana, McLaughlin and Silva as well as grad student Hatch in a post-doubleheader ceremony.