Softball Sweeps Salem in MASCAC Doubleheader on Jackie Robinson Day

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University softball team swept a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader with visiting Salem State University on Jackie Robinson Day at Alumni Park. Bridgewater won the opener, 8-0, in six innings and completed the sweep with a 9-3 victory in game two.

The Bears improve to 14-13-1 on the season and 5-1 in the MASCAC, while the Vikings fall to 5-19 overall and 1-5 in conference play. Bridgewater is now 64-20 versus Salem since 1983. The Bears are also 24-4 at home against the Vikings since Alumni Park opened in 1996.

Each member of the BSU softball team wore #42 warm-up jerseys before the game to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson's Major League Baseball debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Game One: Bridgewater State 8, Salem State 0 (6 Inn.)

Freshman righthander McKayla Cusack (West Haven, Conn.) tossed three-hit shutout to lead the Bears to an 8-0 win in the opener. The game went just six innings due to the eight-run mercy rule. Cusack (3-1) allowed just three singles, did not issue a walk and struck out two.

Graduate centerfielder Alexandra Ruprecht (Kingston, Mass.) walked to lead off the second innings, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on senior shortstop Megan Sharon's (East Longmeadow, Mass.) RBI double.

The Bears then sent 11 batters to the plate in a six-run third inning to take a commanding 7-0 lead. Bridgewater connected for seven hits in the frame including a lead-off triple by sophomore Janet Jolly (Raynham, Mass.) and RBI singles from freshman second baseman Amelia Blake (Raynham, Mass.), senior right fielder Emma Healy (Plymouth, Mass.), junior catcher Madison Dana (Lynn, Mass.) and junior first baseman Olivia Silva (Somerset, Mass.). Jolly also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Bridgewater ended the game in the bottom of the sixth on back-to-back base hits by Jolly and freshman third baseman Emily Marcotte (North Dighton, Mass.) and Blake's walk-off RBI double.

Marcotte (2-4, SB, R), Blake (2-4, 2B, R, 2RBI), Dana (2-3, 2B, RBI) and Jolly (2-2, 2R, RBI) each finished with multiple hits for the Bears in game one.

Game Two: Bridgewater State 9, Salem State 3

The BSU offense erupted for a season-high 18 hits as the Bears completed the sweep with a 9-3 win in game two.

Senior righthander Kelly Reichert (Milford, Mass.) tossed five innings of shutout relief to record her team-leading eighth win of the season. Reichert (8-4) scattered five hits and struck out four with no walks.

Blake (3-5, 3B, R, RBI), Ruprecht (3-4, R, 2RBI) and Sharon (3-3, 2B, BB, R) recorded three hits apiece to pace the 18-hit attack. Jolly went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, a sacrifice fly, a run and an RBI, while Healy and sophomore designated player Molly Thibaudeau (Lincoln, R.I.) also finished with multiple hits in game two. Healy singled twice in four at bats, while Thibaudeau went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Freshman third baseman Dawn Eisner (Medford, Mass.) belted a two-run homer over the left field fence in the top of the first inning to stake the visitors to an early 2-0 lead.

The Bears sent batters to the plate and strung together six hits in a four-run second innings to jump ahead 4-2. Thibaudeau, Marcotte, Blake and Ruprecht contributed RBI singles in the frame.

The Vikings got one back in the top of the third as junior shortstop Rebecca Walker (Lynn, Mass.) led off the inning with a base hit, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and trotted home on senior centerfielder Sydney Chiasson's (Hudson, Mass.) RBI single.

Reichert came on in relief with nobody out in the third inning and shut out the Vikings the rest of the way.

An RBI triple by sophomore first baseman Ava Novakoski (Auburn, Mass.) followed by a Jolly sacrifice fly extended the BSU lead to 6-3 in the home half of the third.

The Bears tacked on three more runs in the fifth. Blake tripled to deep centerfield and score on Ruprecht's RBI single. Dana followed with a two-run homer off the foul pole in left field to make it a 9-3 game. The home run marked the first of the season for the junior catcher.

Walker (2-4, 3B, R), Eisnor (2-4, HR) and junior left fielder Isabella Perrotti (Winthrop, Mass.) notched two hits apiece to highlight the Salem State offense in game two. Perrotti rapped a pair of singles in three at bats.

The MASCAC schedule continues for both teams are back in action on Patriots Day Monday. The Bears travel to Westfield State University for a noontime doubleheader with the Owls, while the Vikings entertain the Trailblazers of MCLA with game one of the twinbill getting underway at one o'clock.