Softball swept in season opening MASCAC doubleheader at Bridgewater State
Bridgewater, Mass.— Bridgewater State came back twice to sweep the MCLA Softball team this afternoon in the first MASCAC action of the season. The Trailblazers lost the opener 6-5 on a walk-off hit in the bottom of 7th inning and ended up on the wrong end of a 24-17 slugfest after leading 14-0. With the results Bridgewater improves to 4-16 (2-0, MASCAC) and MCLA falls to 4-12 (0-2 MASCAC).
Game One Bridgewater State 6 MCLA 5
MCLA would find themselves trailing 4-1 headed to the top of the 4th. But a lead-off double by Justina Pardi followed by three walks, a Kristie Zator single, a hit batsman (Madison Teta (1-for-1, 2 RBIs) and a wild pitch would allow the Trailblazers to score four runs to take the lead, 5-4.
Down by one run in the home half of the 7th, Bridgewater State's Emily Marcotte would reach on an error and Ava Novakoski would draw a walk. Following a flyout to left, a Madison Dana single to center and subsequent error allowed Marcotte to score and tie the game. One batter later, Olivia Silva would single to right scoring pinch runner Madison Flamme to give the Bears the 6-5 walk-off win.
Bridgewater staring pitcher McKayla Cusack (W, 2-5) was credited with the win allowing 4 earned runs on four hits while striking out six batters in 4.1 innings pitched. Reliever Seani Silva pitched the last 2.2 innings allowing only one hit.
Lidia Flores went the distance for MCLA allowing 6 runs and eleven hits while striking out three batters.
Game Two Bridgewater State 24 MCLA 17
Leading 10-0 after one and 14-0 after an inning and a half, MCLA would be outscored 24-3 the rest of the way to drop game two, 24-7.
Bridgewater would get three runs back in the bottom of the 2nd and seven in the bottom of the 3rd to make it 14-10. After Sarah McMahon drove in Hailey Peabody in the top of the 5th to make it 15-10, the Bears would erupt for ten runs in the bottom half to take the lead 20-15.
A Lidia Flores 2-RBI single in the top of the 6th would cut the deficit to three for the Trailblazers but Bridgewater would answer with four more in the home half to make it 24-17.
Emily Marcotte (4-for-6, 3 RBIs), Amelia Blake (4-for-5, 4 RBIs), Jent Jolly (3-for-5, 3 RBIs), Katie Tobin (2-for-5, 3 RBIs) and Riley Fitzgerald (2-for-5, 2 RBIs) led the way for the Bridgewater offense.
Ella Staffier (4-for-5, HR, 7 RBIs), Lidia Flores (3-for-4, 4 RBIs), Hailey Peabody (3-for-4, RBI) and Madyson Torres (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) fueled the offensive attack for the Trialblazers.
Reliever McKayla Cusak (W, 2-5) earned the win for Bridgewater holding off MCLA over the last 2.2 innings. Trailblazer starter Lidia Flores (L, 2-5) pitched 4.1 innings in the losing effort.
Bridgewater will next visit Rhode Island College on Wednesday at 3pm while MCLA travels to take on Bay Path College Tuesday at 3pm.