Softball Sweeps RIC in Non-Conference Twinbill

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader against Rhode Island College on Wednesday afternoon at Alumni Park. The Bears won the first game, 3-2, and completed the sweep with a 4-1 victory in the nightcap. Game two was called due to darkness in the middle of the fifth inning.

The Bears improve to 6-10 on the season with the two wins, while the Anchorwomen fall to 6-8.

In game one, the Bears jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a two-run single by senior Courtney Leddy (Saugus, Mass.).

A two-run triple off the bat of RIC sophomore Kelsey Burgess (North Providence, R.I.) knotted the score at 2-2 in the top of the fourth.

The Bears pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Leddy reached on an infield single. Freshman Shannon Grindle (Halifax, Mass.) followed with a base hit to put runners on first and second. Leddy then stole third and came around to score on an RBI single by senior Jackie Welch (Hubbardston, Mass.).

Leddy went 2-for-3 at the plate in the opener with a run and two RBI. Grindle and senior Breanna Shaffer (Plainville, Mass.) also went 2-for-3 with a stolen base apiece.

Senior right-hander Kathleen Bailey (Bayport, N.Y.) went the distance in the circle for the Bears to pick up her third win of the season. Bailey, who threw 131 pitches, allowed two runs on eight hits with six walks and five strikeouts.

Sophomore pitcher Briana Gough (West Warwick, R.I.) was tagged with the tough luck loss in the complete game effort for RIC. Gough (1-2) gave up three runs on nine hits with no walks and six strikeouts.

Burgess finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, while senior Mary Sweeney (Portsmouth, R.I.) also had two hits in three at bats.

In game two, Bailey (4-8) picked up the win in relief as she tossed three scoreless innings.

The Bears pushed across a run in the first as Leddy, who had walked, scored on Welch's RBI single.

RIC tied it up at 1-1 in the top of the second as Sweeney scored on an RBI ground out by Burgess. Sweeney reached on an error to start the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a passed ball.

Bridgewater erupted for three runs in the bottom of the third with Grindle getting the scoring started with an RBI double. Welch added an RBI single the frame while senior Morgan Cox (Dennis Port, Mass.) drove in the final run with a sacrifice fly.

Leddy walked twice and scored two runs in game two, while Grindle and Welch both went 2-for-2. Grindle scored a run and drove in one, while Welch finished with a pair of RBI.

Freshman Haley Levesque (Westport, Mass.) picked up the loss for the Anchorwomen in the nightcap. Levesque (1-3) allowed four runs on six hits with two walks. Sophomore Erica Fleming (Sagamore Beach, Mass.) pitched well in relief as she retired all six batters she faced with one strikeout.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday. The Bears open Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) at Salem State University with game one of the doubleheader getting underway at noon. The Anchorwomen travel to the University of Southern Maine for a one o'clock Little East Conference (LEC) doubleheader with the Huskies.