FITCHBURG, Mass. – The visiting Bridgewater State University softball team split a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader with Fitchburg State University on Friday afternoon at Donne-Lee Withington Field. Bridgewater won the opener in five innings, 10-1, while Fitchburg earned the split with a 4-0 shutout victory in game two.

The Bears see their record go to 13-8-1 on the season and 6-3-1 in the MASCAC, while the Falcons now stand at 10-12 overall and 4-6 in conference play. Bridgewater finished in second place in the MASCAC standings and will take on regular season champion Framingham State University in a best-of-3 MASCAC Championship series on Friday, May 14th and Saturday, May 15th.

Game One

The Bears won the opener in five innings, 10-1, due to the eight-run mercy rule.

Kelley Reichert (Milford, Mass.) went the distance in the circle for the Bears in the opener to pick up her 12th win of the season. Reichert allowed one run on four hits with a pair of walks and four strikeouts.

A two-run double by Alexandra Ruprecht (Kingston, Mass.) opened the scoring for the visitors in the top of the third inning.

The BSU offense then exploded for eight runs in the top of the fourth to put the game well out of reach. Emma Healy (Plymouth, Mass.) and Madison Synan (Quincy, Mass.) each rapped two-run singles in the frame, while Megan Sharon (East Longmeadow, Mass.) added an RBI single and Reichert connected for an RBI triple. The Bears also scored a run on a dropped fly ball and another on a wild pitch. Five of the eight runs in the inning were unearned.

Laura Kirkconnell's (Dayville, Conn.) RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning accounted for the Falcons' lone run of the game and broke up Reichert's shutout bid.

Reichert had taken a no-hitter into the fifth inning before giving up four singles in the frame.

Healy (2-4, 2R, 2RBI), Ruprecht (2-3, 2 2B, 2RBI) and Reichert (2-3, 3B, 2R, RBI) notched two hits apiece for the Bears in game one.

Taylor Colvin (Lancaster, Mass.) took the loss in the circle for the Falcons. Colvin (6-8) allowed ten runs, only four of which were earned, on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Game Two

Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, Mass.) tossed a complete game, five-hit shutout as the Falcons earned the split with a 4-0 win in game two. Cahill (4-2) walked two and fanned four as she stranded ten runners on base including the bases loaded in the third and two runners on base in both the fourth and fifth innings.

An RBI single and a BSU throwing error helped the Falcons take a 2-0 lead in the second inning of the nightcap. Fitchburg took advantage of another BSU throwing error to tack on an unearned run in the bottom of the third and extend the lead to 3-0.

Cahill tripled down the right field line and pinch runner Bryanna O'Connor (Hudson, N.H.) raced home on an RBI single off the bat of Kirkconnell to cap off the scoring in the sixth.

Reichert (12-6) went the distance for the Bears in the setback in game two as she allowed four runs (one earned) on seven hits with five walks and two strikeouts.

Kirkconnell and Dana Cisowski (Torrington, Conn.) tallied two hits apiece for the Falcons in game two. Kirconnell went 2-for-3 with a stolen base and RBI, while Cisowski singled twice in three at bats.

Ruprecht went 1-for-2 with a walk and stolen base to pace the BSU offense, while Sharon went 1-for-3 with a triple and a walk.

Game two marked the 78th meeting between the two teams with the Bears holding a decisive 68-10 lead in the all-time series.

Up Next: The two teams meet up again on Saturday in Bridgewater with game one of the non-conference doubleheader getting underway at noon.