LITTLE RIVER, S.C. -- The Bridgewater State University softball team split a pair of games on Monday night at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in Little River, South Carolina.
The Bears (2-2) dropped an 8-5 decision to the University of Pikeville but bounced back with a 17-7 mercy rule victory in five innings over Delaware Valley University.
Pikeville 8, Bridgewater State 5
The Bears trailed 8-0 after two innings in the 8-5 setback to Pikeville but rallied for five runs to make things interesting.
Junior righthander Tatiana Burcy (Hyde Park, Mass.) came on in relief with two outs in the bottom of the second and shut down Pikeville the rest of the way to give the Bears a chance to battle back. Burcy scattered two hits over 4 1/3 innings, didn't issue a walk and fanned one.
Bridgewater banged out 11 hits in the contest but stranded eight runners on base.
An unearned run in the fourth inning and an RBI ground out by junior designated player Ava Novakoski (Auburn, Mass.) in the fifth cut the deficit to 8-2. RBI singles by freshman third baseman Emily Eastman (Cranston, R.I.), sophomore left fielder Emily Marcotte (North Dighton, Mass.) and Novakoski in a three-run sixth inning made it an 8-5 game.
Bridgewater left a runner on base in every inning but the first. including a pair of runners in both the fourth and fifth frames.
Marcotte (2-3, R, RBI), sophomore shortstop Alicia Habib (Haverhill, Mass.) and junior centerfielder Janet Jolly (Raynham, Mass.) rapped two hits apiece to pace the BSU offense. Habib went 2-for-4 with a triple and a run, while Jolly doubled and singled in four at bats and scored a run.
Junior righthander Kelsie Hardester (Union, Mo.) went the distance in the circle for Pikeville to pick up the win. Hardester gave up five runs (three earned) on 11 hits over seven innings with three strikeouts. She did not issue a walk.
Bridgewater State 17, Delaware Valley 7
The Bears used an 11-run third inning to pull away for a 17-7 mercy rule win over Delaware Valley.
After giving up five runs in the top of the first inning, the BSU offense went to work scoring two runs in the bottom of the first, four in the second and putting the game away with the 11-run third. Bridgewater capitalized on six Delaware Valley errors as 14 of the 17 runs were unearned.
Sophomore righthander McKayla Cusack (West Haven, Conn.) went all five innings for the Bears to notch her first win of the season. Cusack (1-1) allowed seven runs, only three of which were earned, on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts.
Marcotte went 3-for-4 with four runs and an RBI to pace the Bears' 12-hit attack. Novakoski (2-3, SB, 2R, RBI), Eastman (2-4, R, 2RBI) and sophomore Amelia Blake (Raynham, Mass.) also notched multiple hits for Bridgewater State. Blake singled twice in two at bats off the bench, scored two runs and drove in one.
Bridgewater State's trip to South Carolina for the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic continues on Tuesday as the Bears take on Penn State Harrisburg at 9:00 AM and Cedar Crest College at 1:00 PM.