Softball Downs Westfield in MASCAC Tournament Opener, 7-2

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Winning pitcher Tracey Sanko was 3 for 4 with two runs scored and Penny King was 2 for 3 with a two-run homer to lead Bridgewater State University to a 7-2 victory over Westfield State University in an opening round game of the MASCAC Softball Tournament on Thursday, May 5.

Bridgewater, the No. 4 seed with an 18-21 overall record, advances to the winner's bracket of the four-team, double-elimination tournament where it will play No. 2 seed Worcester State on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.  Worcester defeated Salem State in five innings, 8-0, in Thursday's other first-round matchup.

Westfield, the No. 1 seed with a 20-18 record, hosts Salem State in the loser's bracket game on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. All remaining tournament games will be played Saturday and Sunday at Westfield.

The Bears, who split their regular season conference doubleheader with Westfield, took a 3-0 third-inning lead with the aid of several Owl misplays.

Sanko led off the third with a slap hit to second base, reaching safely when first baseman Cassy Jouannet was slow in covering the bag. Shanna Lathrop sacrificed Sanko to second base and Sanko stayed at second when King reached safely on an infield single as Jouannet misjudged a towering popup in the windy conditions.

Michaela Ferreira dropped a bunt single down the third base line to load the bases and Jennifer Shaw stroked a sacrifice fly to make the score 1-0. After Ferreira stole second, Brianna Strecker stroked a two-out, two-run bloop single to rightfield.

Bridgewater took a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning, with two runs scoring on King's homer to leftfield.

The Bears manufactured their final run in the fifth without a hit. Strecker drew a one-out walk and pinch runner Brianna DeNucci stole second. She advanced to third on a sacrifice hit and scored on a wild pitch.

Westfield finally lit the scoreboard in the seventh with three hits, including an RBI single by Jouannet, and a throwing error.

The Bears out-hit the Owls, 10-7. Bridgewater's other player with more than one hit was Ferreira (2 for 3).

Courtney Begin and Jouannet were both 2 for 3 and Alicia Gardner doubled.

Sanko (5-10) struck out eight and issued no walks in the complete game effort. Losing pitcher Madeline Tomich (14-5) threw five innings, allowing eight hits and two walks and fanning seven. Kerry Alcott pitched two innings of scoreless relief.