Softball Sweeps Pair of Games at Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic

By Jim Fenton

LITTLE RIVER, S.C. -- The Bridgewater State University softball team improved to 4-2 with a doubleheader sweep at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic Thursday.

In the opener during the afternoon, senior McKayla Cusack (West Haven, Conn.) allowed just three hits in a 4-1 victory over Penn State Beaver.

Later in the day, the Bears scored 10 unanswered runs after falling behind in the top of the first inning and defeated Penn State Abington, 10-2, in a game halted in the bottom of the sixth inning by the mercy rule.

Junior Angelina Lynch (Taunton, Mass.) had two doubles and drove in four runs against Penn State Abington.

BSU finishes the spring break trip on Friday with another doubleheader.

The Bears take on Centenary University of Hackettstown, N.J., which is 1-5, at 1 p.m., and wraps up the stay in South Carolina by facing Gwynedd Mercy University of Gwynedd Valley, Pa., which is 2-4, at 3 p.m.

Game One: Bridgewater State 4, Penn State Beaver 1

Cusack improved to 2-0 with her complete-game victory.

It was the second straight game that BSU gave up only three hits with sophomore Olivia Hargreaves (Weare, N.H.) blanking Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham, 2-0, on Wednesday.

Cusack struck out four, walked one and gave up just three singles. Cusack also won her first start, 5-3, over Dickinson earlier this week.

Cusack retired the first 11 Penn State Beaver (2-4) hitters before senior Mackenzie Boyd (Beaver, Pa.) singled to left field with two outs in the fourth inning.

The Bears took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, getting both runs after there were two outs.

Senior Emily Marcotte (North Dighton, Mass.) reached on an infield hit and scored on a double to right field by sophomore Makayla Ansell (Menifee, Calif.).

Sophomore Lily Gioiosa (Dartmouth, Mass.) reached on an infield error, scoring Ansell.

The lead went to 3-0 in the fifth as junior Victoria Becker (Abington, Mass.) walked, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a wild pitch.

BSU's final run was in the sixth inning as Ansell reached on a fielder's choice, went to third on a wild pitch and passed ball and scored on a groundout by Gioiosa.

Cusack's shutout bid was spoiled in the top of the sixth.

Sophomore Haley Cook (Aliquippa, Pa.) walked and with two outs, scored on a hit through the ride side by freshman Madison Bruce (Industry, Pa.).

The Bears held a 7-3 edge in hits and each team committed an error.

Sophomore Sydney Schaefer (Swarthmore, Pa.) and Lynch led the BSU offense with two hits each.

Losing pitcher Gabbey Flynt (Fayetteville, Tenn.), a senior, gave up three runs and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings.

Game Two: Bridgewater State 10, Penn State Abington 2 (6)

The Bears scored three times in the bottom of the third to take a 3-2 lead, then added two runs in the fifth and ended the game with a five-run sixth inning.

Winning pitcher Olyvia Mendonca (Taunton, Mass.) scattered seven hits, just two after the third inning, and gave up only one earned run with two strikeouts.

Penn State Abington (1-3) held a 2-0 lead in the first when freshman Morgan Craig (Marlton, N.J.) singled to left and went to third on an outfield error and senior Hailey Gamble (Wernersville, Pa.) walked.

They scored on RBI singles by sophomore Lainey Scotese (Warminster, Pa.) and senior Gretchen Yanss (Odenton, Md.).

The Bears moved in front in the third when Mendonca reached on a fielder's choice and Marcotte had an infield hit.

A single to right-center by Ansell brought in the first run and Schaefer doubled to right-center field for two runs.

In the fifth, Marcotte walked, stole second and was joined on base by Ansell, who singled to left and stole second.

Lynch, wko was 4-for-7 in the twinbill, delivered a two-out double to left for a 5-2 lead.

BSU ended the game in the sixth by scoring five times with six hits.

Sophomore Sidney Schwartz (Chelmsford, Mass.) singled up the middle, pinch hitter Amelia Blake (Raynham, Mass.) singled through the left side and Mendonca loaded the bases with an infield hit.

Senior Riley Fitzgerald (Swansea, Mass.) singled in a run and Ansell had an RBI single to left with another run scoring on an error on the play. After Schaefer walked, Lynch ended the game with her second two-run double, this one down the line in left.

Ansell was 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI for the Bears, who had 12 hits.