FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- The visiting Bridgewater State University softball teams dropped a pair of non-conference games to Framingham State University on Saturday afternoon at Maple Street Field.
The host Rams improve to 17-1 with their 13th straight win, while the Bears fall to 2-7-1.
Game One
In the opener, the Bears grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on a solo home run to left center off the bat of Madison Dana (Lynn, Mass.). For Dana, the blast marked her second homer of the season.
That, however, would be the only run the Bears would score in the twinbill.
The Rams tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. Kirsten Dick (Tewksbury, Mass.) and Abby Clark (Uxbridge, Mass.) led off the inning with back-to-back-singles. After an out, Jacquie Schwalm (Billerica, Mass.) reached on an infield single, but an overthrow allowed Dick to score the tying run from second.
The Bears threatened in the top of the sixth with runners on first and third and one out, but reliever Shannon Ward (Newport, R.I.) was able to record a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.
The Rams took the lead in the home half of the sixth. Gwendolyn Carpenter (Ashley Falls, Mass.) walked and stole second. Camille Desrochers (Westford, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and Laela Pepin (Acushnet, Mass.) reached on an infield single to load the bases. Dick followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Carpenter with the go-ahead run.
Ava Novakoski (Auburn, Mass.) led off the top of the seventh for the Bears with a double to left field but was stranded after a pair of strikeouts and a pop out. The two-bagger marked the first collegiate hit for the rookie Novakoski.
Ward (7-0) earned the victory in the circle going 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief allowing just one hit with four strikeouts. Pepin started the game in the circle and gave up just the one run on two hits over 5 1/3 innings of work.
Kelley Reichert (Milford, Mass.) took the loss for the Bears going six innings allowing two earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts.
Game Two
In game two, the Rams got on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Desrochers doubled and moved to third on a ground out. Ally Moran (Wilmington, Mass.) followed with a single to right scoring Desrochers for the 1-0 lead.
The Rams extended the lead to 3-0 with a pair in the bottom of the fifth. Schwalm singled and came around to score on a triple from Grace Swanson (Lincoln, R.I.). Swanson scampered home when Carpenter reached on an error.
A Desrochers solo home run to left leading off the bottom of the sixth accounted for the Rams' final run in the game. Desrochers went 3-for-3 in the nightcap with two runs and an RBI.
Moran (8-1) earned the victory in game two going five shutout innings allowing just three hits. Ward picked up her first save of the season tossing two scoreless innings without allowing a hit.
Reichert (2-4) allowed four runs on eight hits over five innings in the setback in game two. She did not issue a walk and fanned three.
The Bears collected just six hits in the doubleheader, three in each game. Dana, Reichert, Novakoski, Megan Sharon (East Longmeadow, Mass.), Janet Jolly (Raynham, Mass.) and Emma Healy (Plymouth, Mass.) notched one hit apiece.
Up Next: The Bears host Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) rival Salem State University on Friday afternoon with game one of the doubleheader getting underway at two o'clock. The Rams are back in action next Saturday when they host Brandeis University for a pair of non-conference games beginning at noon.