LITTLE RIVER, S.C. – The Bridgewater State University softball team opened the 2023 season on Sunday morning at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in Little River, South Carolina. The Bears (1-1) posted an 11-3 victory in six innings over Regis College in the season opener, and then dropped a 7-0 decision to Gwynedd Mercy University. The win over Regis marked the first collegiate victory for first-year head coach and BSU Hall of Famer Carrie Consalvi.
Bridgewater State 11, Regis 3 (6 Inn.)
Junior righthander Madelyn Klingel (Windsor, Conn.) picked up the win in the circle in the victory over the Pride. Klingel (1-0) gave up three runs (one earned) and scattered seven hits over four innings with. She did not issue a walk and fanned eight. Junior righthander Tatiana Burcy (Hyde Park, Mass.) tossed two scoreless innings of relief in her BSU debut. Burcy retired six of the seven batters she faced with a pair of strikeouts.
The Bears opened the scoring with a four-run second inning. Sophomore shortstop Alicia Habib (Haverhill, Mass.) led off the inning with a triple and scored on an RBI infield single by junior right fielder Molly Thibaudeau (Lincoln, R.I.). Junior centerfielder Janet Jolly (Raynham, Mass.) and sophomore designated player Amelia Blake (Raynham, Mass.) added RBI singles in the frame while senior catcher Madison Dana (Lynn, Mass.) capped off the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
Bridgewater pushed across two unearned runs in the third and capitalized on another Regis miscue in the fourth inning to tack on two more runs and take an 8-3 lead. Thibaudeau connected for an RBI single in the fourth.
An RBI single by sophomore pinch hitter Riley Fitzgerald (Swansea, Mass.) and heads-up base running by junior Ava Novakoski (Auburn, Mass.) in the sixth extended the BSU lead to 10-3. After a Regis error loaded the bases, Blake ended the game with a walk-off walk. All the scoring in the frame came with two outs.
Thibaudeau went 2-for-2 with a walk, stolen base, two runs and two RBI to pace Bridgewater State' ten-hit attack. Jolly also recorded multiple hits for the Bears as she went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
Regis committed seven errors in the contest which led to six unearned runs.
Senior righthander Diana Petrarca (Coventry, R.I.) suffered the loss in the circle for the Pride. Petrarca (0-1) allowed eight runs, only three of which were earned, on seven hits over 3 2/3 innings with three walks and three strikeouts.
Senior catcher Andria Braga (Rehoboth, Mass.) and junior left fielder Chloe Beland (Southborough, Mass.) paced the Regis offense with two hits apiece.
Gwynedd Mercy 7, Bridgewater State 0
Junior righthander Jocelyn Baumeister (Willow Grove, Pa.) tossed a two-hit shutout to lead Gwynedd Mercy to the 7-0 victory. Baumeister (1-0) allowed just a pair of singles, walked one batter, and struck out six in the complete game effort.
Baumeister also led the Griffins' offense as she went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double, a run and four RBI. Baumeister drove in a pair of runs with an RBI single in the top of the first and connected for a two-run double in a five-run fifth inning.
Junior third baseman Grace Scally (Philadelphia, Pa.) also finished with multiple hits for Gwynedd Mercy. Scally singled twice in four at bats and scored a run.
Habib and Thibaudeau notched the lone two hits for the Bears.
Sophomore righthander McKayla Cusack (West Haven, Conn.) was saddled with the loss in the circle for the Bears. Cusack (0-1) gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits over 4 1/3 innings with two walks and a strikeout.
Bridgewater State's trip to South Carolina for the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic continues Monday evening as the Bears take on University of Pikeville at five o'clock and Delaware Valley University at seven.
