Bears Sweep Owls Softball

WESTFIELD, Mass. –  Bridgewater State's Kelley Reichert picked up the pitching win on both halves of the doubleheader as the Bears swept Westfield State 5-4 in nine innings in game 1, and 9-1 in game 2.

Bridgewater improves to 6-7-1 overall and 5-2-1 in the MASCAC, while Westfield State is now 8-10 overall and 2-6 in the league.

Westfield got on the board first with a solo home run from Sarah Meunier in the bottom of the first inning.

Bridgewater rallied in the fourth for three runs to take a 4-1 lead, getting a solo shot from Kerrin McLaughlin, and Rbi doubles from Megan Sharon and Emma Healy.

Westfield chased Bears starter Laura Hatch with an RBI double from Madison Philbrook in the sixth, then Alyssa Clark singled in another run to cut the lead to 4-3.

Westfield tied the game off of Reichert in the bottom of the seventh.  Down to their final strike, Owls' starting pitcher Emily Arredondo's single scored Jordyn Carpenter from third to force extra innings.

Ava Novkoski led off the top of the ninth for the Bears with a base hit, advanced on a sacrifice bunt, and scored the game winner on Madison Dana's single to centerfield.  Reichert (W, 5-5) retired the Owls 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth for the win.  Healy, Dana and McGlaughlin all finished with a pair of hits for the Bears.

Arredondo (L, 3-5) delivered a workman-like performance on the mound, tossing all nine inning for the Owls, scattering 11 hits and four earned runs and striking out seven.  Clark rapped out three hits for the Owls with Meunier and Philbrook two each.

In the nightcap Reichert (W, 6-5) shut the Owls down on just three hits, allowing one run and fanning six in a game shortened by the eight run rule.

Philbrook's RBI double in the second was all the offense the Owls could muster, as Reichert retired the next 12 hitters in order to close out the game.

The Bears scored a pair of unearned runs in the third, on an RBI double from Dana and an RBI single from Alexandra Ruprecht.

Fielding miscues cost the Owls again in fifth, as a pair of errors opened the flood gates to five more runs, the big blow an RBI triple from Reichert, who also finished 3-3 at the plate.  Janet Jolly, Ruprect and Healy each had a pair of hits.

The two teams will meet again tomorrow in a pair of non-conference games at Bridgewater.

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