Softball Sweeps Curry in Non-Conference Twinbiill

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader with Curry College on Thursday afternoon at Alumni Park.

The Bears won the opener by a margin of 10-2 in five innings, and completed the sweep with an 8-2 victory in game two.

Bridgewater improves to 17-13 on the season with the two wins, while Curry slips to 13-19 overall.

In the opener, the Bears banged out 13 hits and scored in every inning. The game was stopped after 4 1/2 inning due to the eight-run mercy rule.

Kristyna Flaherty (Burlington, Mass.), Tara McCann (Fall River, Mass.), Kacie Carvalho (Fairhaven, Mass.) and Courtney Leddy (Saugus, Mass.) all finished with multiple hits to highlight the BSU offense.

Flaherty went 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI while McCann finished 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored and two driven in. Carvalho tripled and singled in three at bats with run and RBI, and Leddy was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.

Kelly McCarthy (Burlington, Mass.) picked up her fifth straight win in the complete game effort. McCarthy (14-5) allowed two runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

McCarthy also went 1-for-3 at the plate with a run and two RBI.

Rebecca Black (East Greenwich, R.I.) picked up the loss in the circle for the visiting Colonels. Black gave up ten runs (eight earned) on 13 hits in four innings of work with a pair of strikeouts.

Mikayla Lambert (Blackstone, Mass.) paced the Curry offense with a pair of doubles and a walk in three plate appearances. Lambert, who now has 13 doubles on the season, knocked in both of the Corsairs' runs in the third inning. 

In game two, the Bears jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two innings and cruised to the 8-2 victory.

Flaherty, McCann, Carvalho and Leddy again finished with multiple hits as the Bears' pounded out 13-hits in the night cap.

Flaherty went 3-for-4 with a double, run and RBI, while McCann finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Carvalho singled twice in three at bats, and Leddy was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Morgan Cox (Dennis Port, Mass.) was the big run producer for the Bears in game two. Cox went 2-for-4 including her second home run of the season, a blast well over the centerfield fence. She scored two runs and drove in three.

McCarthy doubled in four at bats, scored two runs and drove in one.

Kathleen Bailey (Bayport, N.Y.) went the distance in the circle to record her third win of the season. Bailey (3-6) allowed two runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts.

April Adams (Burlington, Mass.) finished with three of the Colonels' six hits in game two. Adams went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

McKenna Barlow (Middletown, R.I.) gave up eight runs on 13 hits over six innings in the loss. Barlow (5-4) walked one and fanned two. Only four of the eight runs were earned as Curry committed five errors in the contest (eight overall in the doubleheader).

Both teams are back in action on Saturday afternoon at one. The Bears travel to MCLA for a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader with the Trailblazers, while the Colonels host a pair of games with Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) rival University of New England.

Notes: Flaherty is batting a team-best .459 (17-37) during the month of April....Carvalho is 8-for-17 (.471) over the last six games since being inserted into the starting lineup.