Softball Swept by RIC in Non-Conference Twinbill

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The visiting Rhode Island College softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader over Bridgewater State University on Thursday afternoon.  The Anchorwomen won the first game of the twinbill, 7-1, and completed the sweep with a 3-2 triumph in the nightcap.

RIC improves to 22-3 on the season while Bridgewater slips to 10-14.

In  game two, the Anchorwomen erased a 2-0 deficit with a three-run fifth inning capped off by a Kayla Jandreau (Plainville, Ct.) two-run home run.  RIC put the first two runners on in the frame, but Bridgewater hurler Meghan Dunn (Colchester, Ct.) induced a double play grounder to quickly make it two outs.  However, Stacy Pokora (Wilton, Ct.) ripped an RBI single up the middle and Jandreau followed with the big blast.

Kyla Puccini (North Dighton, Mass.) picked up the win in relief for the Anchorwomen.  Puccini (6-1) worked four shutout innings, giving up just one hit and a pair of walks while striking out six.

RIC starting pitcher Emily Johnson (West Kingston, R.I.) went the first three innings and allowed two unearned runs on five hits and a walk. 

Bridgewater took advantage of an error in the third to take the 2-0 lead.  Penny King (Hanover, Mass.) double in a run and Casey Hill (Randolph, Mass.) reached on an infield hit to plate the second tun of the frame.

Dunn (7-3) took the loss in the circle for the Bears as she went the distance giving up three runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out three.

Pokora led RIC's seven-hit attack as she went 2-for-2 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI as well as a sacrifice bunt.  Bridgewater banged out six hits in the contest with Heather McPherson (Mansfield, Mass.) leading the way with a 2-for-4 performance.  McPherson also reached on an error and scored a run in the third.

In the opener, the Anchorwomen raced out to a 7-0 lead after four innings and never looked back.

Amanda Berard (Swansea, Mass.) picked up the win in relief for RIC as she worked the last four innings.  Berard (7-0) gave up one unearned run on two hits and a pair of walks while striking out seven.  Johnson also got the start in game one and tossed three shutout innings allowing just two hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

The Anchorwomen banged out nine hits in the contest with Chelsi Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.), Amanda Perry (New Bedford, Mass.) and Cristina Bailey (Londonderry, N.H.) notching two hits as well as two RBI apiece.  Donielle Mattoon (Coventry, R.I.) added a 1-for-3 performance with three runs scored and an RBI.

RIC plated a pair of runs in the first on a two-run single by Perry.  The Anchorwomen scored four times in the third as Mattoon tripled in a run and scored on Panarelli's RBI single.  Bailey would added a two-run single later in the frame.  Panarelli capped off the visitor's scoring in game one with an RBI triple in the fourth.

Bridgewater scored an unearned tally in the fifth as Mary Ashley (Dartmouth, Mass.) singled with two outs and advance to second on a pinch hit walk by Shanna Lathrop (Hopedale, Mass.).  Ashley would come around to score when Tracey Sanko (Windsor, Ct.) reached on an infield throwing error.

Sanko, who started the game in left field, came on to pitch in relief of Courtney Gregoire (Dartmouth, Mass.) with nobody out in the third and worked five innings.  Sanko allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.