Softball Falls to Simmons, Alfred at The Spring Games

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University softball team dropped a pair of games on Monday at The Spring Games in Clermont, Florida.

The Bears (2-3) suffered a 10-4 setback to Simmons University and dropped a 7-2 decision to Alfred University.

Simmons 10, Bridgewater State 4

Simmons banged out 14 hits in the contest led by three hits apiece from senior designated player Maddie Castigliego (Bristol, R.I.) and senior third baseman Alex Morang (Windham, Maine). Castigliego went 3-for-4 with a triple and three runs scored, while Morang was 3-for-4 with two runs batted in.

Senior catcher Shannon McMahon (El Cajon, Calif.) and senior outfielder Christie Bott (Seaford, N.Y.) also finished with multiple hits for the Sharks.  McMahon went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs and two RBI, while Bott finished 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, two run and an RBI.

Graduate catcher Madison Synan (Quincy, Mass.) and senior left fielder Emma Healy (Plymouth, Mass.) accounted for six of Bridgewater State's eight hits. Synan went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, a run and an RBI, while Healy singled three times in four at bats, stole a base and scored a run.

Bott got the scoring started with an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning. The Sharks strung together four hits and capitalized on two BSU errors to push across five runs in the third and extend the lead to 6-0. McMahon and sophomore centerfielder Jordyn Rubin (Lewiston, Maine) connected for RBI singles in the frame.

The Bears answered with a pair of runs in the top of fourth. Healy scored on the back end of double steal and senior shortstop Megan Sharon (East Longmeadow, Mass.) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

McMahon belted a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth and Castigliego tripled and scored on Morang's RBI single to give Simmons an 8-2 lead.

Each team pushed across a pair of runs in the sixth inning to round out the scoring. Synan doubled home a run for the Bears and came around to score on a sacrifice fly. Bott doubled to lead off the bottom of the sixth and later raced home after some heads-up base running, while Morang added an RBI single in the frame.

Castigliego (1-1) picked up the win in relief for the Sharks as she allowed two unearned runs on four hits in 3 2/3 innings with a pair of strikeouts.

Two BSU pitchers combined to give up ten runs (seven earned) on 14 hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

Alfred 7, Bridgewater State 2

Sophomore pitcher Megan Bennett (Athens, Pa.) went the distance in the circle for Alfred to pick up the win. Bennett (1-1) allowed two runs on five hits with two strikeouts.

Alfred opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the second inning as the Saxons loaded the bases on a hit, an error and walk. Junior right fielder Isabella Carrillo (Van Nuys, Calif.) worked a walk to forced in a run and senior shortstop Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, Calif.) followed with a two-run single.

Sophomore first baseman Morgan Cournoyer (Burrillville, R.I.) provided all the scoring for the Bears as she belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit to 3-2.

An RBI single by sophomore designated player Raygan Wescott (Taft, Calif.) in the top of the third innings gave Alfred a 4-2 lead. The score stayed that way until the seventh when the Saxons pushed across three runs to pull ahead, 7-2, Wescott and sophomore first baseman Mya Wells (San Ramon, Calif.) rapped RBI singles in the frame while senior second baseman Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, Calif.) plated a run with a fielder's choice grounder.

Wells went 3-for-4 with a stolen base, two runs and an RBI to lead the Saxons' nine-hit attack. O'Toole (2-4, R, RBI) and Wescott (2-4, SB, R, 2RBI) also finished with multiple hits for Alfred, while Lugo went 1-for-3 at the plate with four stolen bases, a run scored and two RBI.

Senior pitcher Kelley Reichert (Milford, Mass.) went the distance in the circle for Bridgewater State. Reichert (1-1) gave up seven runs (five earned) on nine hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Following an off day, the Bears return to action on Wednesday afternoon when they take on Eastern Nazarene College at three o'clock and Husson University at 5:15 in Clermont, Florida.