By Jim Fenton
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Bridgewater State University softball team lost a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
The Bears were swept by Rhode Island College of the Little East Conference, 8-1 and 12-0, at the Dayna A. Bazar Softball Complex.
The second game was halted in the fifth inning due to the eight-run mercy rule.
BSU was limited to seven hits in 12 innings during the twinbill.
BSU is now 14-10 while the Anchorwomen improved to 17-7. RIC has won six games in a row against the Bears.
Game One: Rhode Island College 8, Bridgewater State 1
The Bears were limited to five hits in the loss and scored their lone run in the top of the first.
With two outs, junior Makayla Ansell (Menifee, Calif.) singled through the left side, stole second and went to third on an error. She scored on a single up the middle by sophomore Aubrey Carberry (Dartmouth, Mass.).
That was all BSU could manage against freshman Mia Crudale (Cranston, R.I.), who struck out seven and improved to 10-1.
After the first inning, the only BSU hits were doubles by junior Sidney Schwartz (Chelmsford, Mass.) and senior Olyvia Mendonca (Taunton, Mass.) and another single by Carberry.
RIC took a 2-1 lead in the third when junior Sydney Duclos (North Providence, R.I.) singled to center and scored on an error on a play that started with a single by senior Noelle Simmons (Goffstown, N.H.).
Senior Sophia Crudale (Cranston, R.I.) then bunted and reached on a fielder's choice with Simmons scoring.
The lead went to 5-1 in the fifth with the first run scoring on a wild pitch. Sophomore Joey Meyer (Milwaukee, Wis.) brought in another with a sacrifice fly and freshman Lily Bell (Coventry, R.I.) delivered an RBI single to right-center.
The Anchorwomen added three more in the sixth.
Sophomore pinch hitter Alana DeLuties (Middleton, Mass.) reached on an error, went to second on a groundout and scored on a double to right-center by Simmons.
After a wild pitch, Simmons scored on an infield hit by Sophia Crudale (3-for-4), who eventually scored on a wild pitch.
BSU junior Lily Gagnon (East Haven, Conn.) fell to 4-1, allowing eight runs (three earned) and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Game Two: Rhode Island College 12, Bridgewater State 0 (5 Inn.)
Junior Ashleigh von der Linden (Stratham, N.H.) gave up just two hits and struck out three in the win over the Bears to run her record to 3-2.
The Bears' offense consisted of a second-inning leadoff single by Mendonca and a one-out single in the fourth by Carberry.
Junior Olivia Hargreaves (Weare, N.H.) gave up three runs and six hits with two strikeouts and took the loss for BSU. BSU relief pitchers walked six and allowed nine runs (eight earned) on eight hits over two innings.
RIC scored twice in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Meyer and an RBI single by junior Melanie Earley (Lumberton, N.J.).
The Anchorwomen went up, 3-0, in the second on a run-scoring double to left by Simmons (4-for-4) and scored twice in the third on a two-run single to right by junior Sylvia Dempsey (Shrewsbury, Mass.).
RIC closed out the scoring in the fourth, putting seven runs on the board.
Sophomore Jillian Guilfoyle (Derby, Conn.), who was 3-for-3, brought in a run with a single to right and Earley stole home to make it 7-1.
A single up the middle by junior Brianna Bailey (Windsor, Conn.) and a single through the left side by Simmons each scored a run.
Meyer and Earley each drew bases-loaded walks and junior Emma Wood (Holliston, Mass.) reached on an error for a run.
The Bears will resume the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference schedule Tuesday when they host Salem State at Alumni Park at 3 p.m.
RIC has a doubleheader at home Tuesday against Western Connecticut State at 4 p.m.