With a thrilling extra innings wins over Westfield State, Bridgewater State earned a spot in the 2023 MASCAC Softball title game with the 7-6 eight inning win over the Owls.

Bridgewater jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Emily Marcotte connected for a two-run triple and scored on an RBI single by McLaughlin.

The Owls answered with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the third as Alyssa Clark smacked an RBI double and came around to score on an RBI single by Janna Jose.

Westfield then sent nine batters to the plate in a four-run fourth inning to pull ahead, 6-3. Jordyn Lummus and Sarah Hough connected for back-to-back RBI singles, while Sarah Bingham added a two-run single.

Bridgewater got one back in the home half of the fourth to cut the deficit to 6-4. Molly Thibaudeau reached on an infield single, advanced to second on a throwing error and race home on an Alicia Habib RBI single.

The score remained that way until the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Madison Dana doubled and was replaced on the base paths by Emily Eastman. Olivia Silva then lined a single off the pitcher's leg to put runners at the corners. Back-to-back walks to Tatiana Burcy and Thibaudeau forced in a run to cut the deficit to 6-5. Following a pitching change, Habib lofted a sacrifice fly to right to plate Silva with the tying run and send the game into extra innings.

The Owls went down 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the frame, Marcotte was hit by pitch, McLaughlin reached on a bunt single, and Janet Jolly lined a base hit to left to load the bases with nobody out. After a strikeout, Silva lined a sacrifice fly to centerfield to bring home Marcotte with the game-winning run.

Burcy (2-4) tossed 4 1/3 shutout innings of relief to earn the win in the circle for Bridgewater State. She allowed just one hit, did not issue a walk, and struck out five. Burcy retired 13 of the 14 batters she faced.

McLaughlin went 3-for-5 with an RBI to pace the Bears' 13-hit attack. Marcotte (2-4, 3B, 2R, 2RBI), Silva (2-4, SF, R, RBI) and Thibaudeau (2-3, BB, 2R, RBI) also recorded multiple hits for Bridgewater State.

Gianna Conte suffered the loss in relief for Westfield State. Conte (5-9) gave up one run on two hits over 1 1/3 innings with one strikeout. She also hit a batter.

Lummus (2-5, R, RBI), Hough (2-4, R, RBI), Bingham (2-4, 2B, R, 2RBI) and Jose (2-2, RBI) all finished with two hits apiece to lead the Owl offense.

Release courtesy of Bridgewater State Sports Information