Softball Falls to Westfield, 4-0, in MASCAC Winner's Bracket Final

WORCESTER, Mass. -- Senior Madeline Tomich (Alford, MA) hurled a six-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts as she helped lead #4 Westfield State to a 4-0 triumph over #2 Bridgewater State in the winners bracket semifinals of the 2012 MASCAC Softball tournament this afternoon at Rockwood Park.

The Owls (21-18) advance to tomorrow's title game which will be contested at 12 PM at Worcester State's Rockwood Park. The Bears (29-12) will duke it out with Salem State in the elimination game of the semifinals later today at 4:30.

Westfield State opened the game with the 3-0 advantage as the Owls touched up BSU starter Meghan Dunn (Colchester, CT) for a trio of runs.

Dunn yielded two singles and a walk to load the bases before she was lifted for sophomore Amber White (Middleboro, MA) who gave up a two-run single to freshman Vicki Hill (W. Springfield, MA) and another RBI safety to third-year Brittany Dussault (Chicopee, MA) before ending the frame on a strikeout.

Bridgewater State would respond and make Tomich work over the next three innings, but they would leave the bases loaded in both the second and third innings.  

Tomich then settled down and set down nine of her next ten batters with five coming by way of strikeout into the final frame.

White matched her opponent with five straight zero innings as she would retire 13 of 19 until the seventh.

Westfield State scored its fourth run on the first career homer by senior Lisa Policelli (Tewksbury, MA) on a solo jack to left in the seventh.

The Bears made one final stand by juicing the bases for the third time of the contest in the bottom of the seventh, but the rally would ultimately fall short as Tomich pitched herself out of the jam with a punch out to end the game.

Tomich (12-8) walked four in her 16th complete game and seventh shutout of the season. Dunn (13-7) was tagged with the setback for allowing the first runs of the contest to score.

Sophomore Bri Eichstaedt (Southampton, MA) was 2-fo-2 for the Owls while junior Jordan McDermott (E. Bridgewater, MA) and second-year Jasmyn McCone (Taunton, MA) both had two safeties each for the Bears.

Bridgewater State led in hits, 7-6, and they would strand 11 on base for the game – eight in scoring position.