FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – Alexandra Ruprecht (Kingston, Mass.) homered with one out in the seventh inning to lift #2 Bridgewater State University to a dramatic 3-2 victory over #1 Framingham State University in game two of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Softball Championship Series on Friday afternoon at Framingham's Maple Street Field. The host Rams won the opening game of the best-of three series earlier in the day, 6-1.
The two teams will face-off in game three of the MASCAC Championship tomorrow at noon from Maple Street Field. The Bears (16-9-1) are in search of the program's tenth MASCAC title and first since 2014, while the Rams (29-7) will look to capture their fourth straight MASCAC Championship and fifth overall.
Game One
Kirsten Dick (Tewksbury, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer to lead Framingham State to the 6-1 victory in game one of the best-of-three series.
Ally Moran (Wilmington, Mass.) picked up the win in the circle for the Rams as she worked five innings solid innings. Moran (13-3) gave up just one unearned run on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
Dick belted a three-run blast over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the first inning to stake the hosts to the early 3-0 lead.
The Bears were kept off the scoreboard until the fifth inning when a leadoff error opened the door. Madison Dana (Lynn, Mass.) reached on the infield miscue to start the rally and was replaced on the base paths by pinch runner Kim Scanlon (Medford, Mass.). One out later, Scanlon advanced to second on a ground out and then raced home on Emma Healy's (Plymouth, Mass.) clutch two-out RBI single. With Healy on second, Ruprecht followed with a base hit into left, but Healy was gunned out at the plate.
A two-run single by Shannon Ward (Newport, R.I.) and an RBI base knock off the bat of Kaylee Nearen (Everett, Mass.) extended the Framingham lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth.
The Bears left a runner on base in every inning including runners in scoring position in the first, second, fourth and sixth innings.
Ward tossed two scoreless innings of relief to record her second save of the season. She allowed a hit and a walk and fanned two.
Kelly Reichert (Milford, Mass.) suffered the loss in the circle for the Bears in the complete game effort. Reichert (12-7) gave up six runs on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
Madison Synan (Quincy, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, while Ruprecht singled and doubled in three at bats to pace the BSU offense.
Game Two
Ruprecht homered with one out in the top of the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie and lift the Bears to a dramatic 3-2 victory in game two. Ruprecht went 3-for-4 at the plate, scored a run and drove in two including the game-winning strike. The home run marked her team-leading fifth of the season and ninth of her career.
Reichert (13-7) came on in relief to earn the win in the circle. She hurled 6 2/3 innings and allowed just one unearned run on five hits with a walk and nine strikeouts.
Both teams scored a run and both teams left multiple runners on base in the very first inning. Ruprecht singled home a run in the top of the first for the Bears who left the bases loaded in the frame. Three of the first four batters reached for the Rams in the home half of the first off BSU starter Molly Thibaudeau (Lincoln, R.I.), including an RBI single by Camille Desrochers (Westford, Mass.). Reichert relieved Thibaudeau with runners on second and third with one out and retired the next two hitters to get out of the jam.
The score remained 1-1 until the bottom of the fourth. The Rams put runners on second and third with two outs on a pair of singles from Mercedes Jimenez (Cambridge, Mass.) and Zoe Smyth (Cambridge, Mass.). Jimenez advanced to third on a passed ball and then raced home on an errant throw by the catcher.
Back-to-back one-out singles by Healy and Ruprecht in the top of the fifth chased Rams' starter Moran. Ward came on in relief and retired the next two batters to get out of the inning.
Reichert got out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the fifth to keep it a one-run game.
The Bears tied it up at 2-2 in the top of the sixth. Kerrin McLaughlin (Haverhill, Mass.) led off the inning with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Thibaudeau's RBI fielder's choice grounder.
With one out in the top of the seventh, Ruprecht drilled a full count pitch over the left field fence to put the Bears on top, 3-2.
Reichert, who retired seven of the last eight batters she faced, worked around a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the win. Reichert also excelled at the plate as she singled twice and walked in four plate appearances.
Ward (13-3) was tagged with the loss in relief for Framingham as she gave up a pair of runs on two hits over 2 2/3 innings with a walk and two strikeouts. Moran got the start for the Rams and allowed just one run on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings. She walked one and fanned two.
Smyth and Gwendolyn Carpenter (Ashley Falls, Mass.) notched two hits apiece to lead the FSU offense. Carpenter also stole a pair of bases. All seven of the Rams' hits in game two were singles.