Softball Splits MASCAC Twinbill with MCLA

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The visiting Bridgewater State University softball team split a MASCAC doubleheader with MCLA on Monday afternoon.

The MASCAC regular season champion Bears posted a 2-1 victory in game one behind a solid pitching performance from Amber White.  The host Trailblazers earned the split with a 3-0 shutout victory in the nightcap.

Bridgewater enters the MASCAC Tournament with an overall record of 25-13 (13-1 MASCAC), while MCLA completed the regular season with a mark of 13-15 (9-5 MASCAC).

The Bears will host the winner of fourth seeded Salem State and fifth seeded Framingham State on Friday afternoon, while the Trailblazers entertain the winner of third seeded Worcester State and sixth seeded Fitchburg State. Bridgewater will host the remainder of the tournament on Saturday and Sunday.

Game one featured a pitcher's duel with White matched up against MCLA's Rachel Quackenbush. Both would not give up a run until the seventh inning.

Each team struggled to muster up some offense until the Bears finally broke through.

Bridgewater got on the board in the top of the seventh inning as the Bears loaded the bases on a pair of singles by Samantha LoPilato and Jocelyn Bettencourt sandwiched around a Jill Welch walk. With two outs, MCLA would commit an infield error allowing both LoPilato and Welch to score.

In the bottom half of the inning, Quackenbush led off with a double to right, moved to third on an infield out and scored on a passed ball.  White would avoid any further damage as she fanned the final two batters to secure the victory.

White (19-3) gave up just two hits, walked one and struck out five as she lowered her ERA to an impressive 0.43.

Quackenbush (9-8) allowed five hits and five walks and fanned nine.

LoPilato paced the BSU offense as she went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

In game two, MCLA handed Bridgewater their first MASCAC loss of the season.

After two scoreless innings, MCLA would finally plate a run in the third.  Sierra Bailey walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Michaela DiNicola's RBI single to center. The Trailblazers would score two more runs in the fifth inning to create some separation. Sam Barbarotta earned a walk and Bailey reached on an error. Both would come around to score on Abby Lucas' single to center.

Amanda Meczywor would earn the win in the circle and Quackenbush came on in the sixth to get the save. Meczywor gave up one Bridgewater hit over five innings, walking one and striking out one. Quackenbush struck out three.

Kathleen Bailey would take the loss for Bridgewater State giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

LoPilato recorded the only hit in the game for the Bears with a one-out single in the fifth.