By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University softball team finished its non-conference schedule by splitting a doubleheader Thursday.

The Bears lost the opener to Salve Regina University, 9-2, then took the second game, 7-4, at Alumni Park.

BSU, which had a four-game winning streak stopped in the opener, is now 17-17. The Seahawks, who halted a three-game losing streak by winning, are 12-24.

The Bears broke a 4-4 tie in the nightcap by scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Salve Regina scored in five of seven innings in the opener and had 11 hits.

Game Two: Bridgewater State 7, Salve Regina 4

The Bears had trailed, 4-2, entering the bottom of the fourth. They scored two in the fourth to even the score and plated three runs in the sixth to salvage the split.

Junior Victoria Becker (Abington, Mass.) led the sixth with a single up the middle and stole second. She then scored the go-ahead run on a one-out double to left by junior Angelina Lynch (Taunton, Mass.).

Senior Amelia Blake (Raynham, Mass.) then drew a walk. Lynch scored on a wild pitch and Blake went to second before later scoring on a throwing error on an errant pickoff throw for the three-run lead.

Salve Regina jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single up the middle by senior Emily Lane (Tinton Falls, N.J.), scoring senior Jacey Cosciello (Seymour, Conn.), who had walked.

BSU responded in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 lead.

Sophomore Makayla Ansell (Menifee, Calif.) and Lynch singled and advanced on a flyout. They scored on a single to center by Blake.

The Seahawks tied it in the third on a sacrifice fly by senior Sam Franceschi (East Haven, Conn.).

Salve Regina took a 4-2 lead in the fourth on a two-run homer by Cosciello.

The Bears pulled even in the bottom of the inning as senior Emily Marcotte (North Dighton, Mass.) and Becker walked and Ansell doubled to right for a run. Becker scored on a throw.

Senior McKayla Cusack (West Haven, Conn.) did not allow a hit in the final two innings in relief of sophomore Lily Gagnon (East Haven, Conn.), who worked the first five innings.

The Bears had 11 hits with Lynch going 3-for-4 and Blake, senior Riley Fitzgerald (Swansea, Mass.) and Ansell getting two hits each.

Game One: Salve Regina 9, Bridgewater State 2

The Seahawks, who play in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference, had a 4-0 lead in the top of the third and added four runs in the sixth.

BSU made two errors in the top of the first and Salve Regina took a 2-0 lead without getting a hit.

Cosciello walked, stole second and went to third on an error. Cosciello and Lane both scored on an outfield error.

The lead went to 3-0 in the second with another unearned run as sophomore Madeleine Oswald (Whippany, N.J.) singled and scored on an error.

Oswald made it 4-0 in the third with a two-out home run to left field.

The Bears scored their first run in the third as Ansell and sophomore Sydney Schaefer (Swarthmore, Pa.) singled and Blake brought in a run with a groundout.

In the sixth, Salve Regina received RBI singles from sophomore Emily Cronin (Coventry, R.I.) and senior Kylie Lanteri (Berlin, Conn.) and an RBI double from Oswald. The other run came home on a wild pitch.

BSU scored its other run in the sixth as Blake reached on an infield hit and pinch runner freshman Alison Curran (Braintree, Mass.) went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a double to right by Fitzgerald.

Salve Regina finished the scoring in the seventh on an RBI double down the left-field line by Francheschi.

Winning pitcher Shea Murphy (Westfield, N.J.) struck out five and scattered seven hits.

Starter Olivia Hargreaves (Weare, N.H.) allowed just one earned run and four hits in four innings and was relieved by junior Olyvia Mendonca (Taunton, Mass.).

BSU finished the season Saturday with a Senior Day doubleheader against Westfield State University at 12:30 p.m.

Salve Regina has a NEWMAC doubleheader at noon Saturday against Springfield College.