Softball Drops Twin Bill To Bears In MASCAC Opener

Bridgewater, MA. – The Fitchburg State softball team dropped a pair of contests to the Bears of Bridgewater State this afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action by the scores of 9-4 and 7-6 from Alumni Park.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 4, Bridgewater State 9 (GM1)
Score: Fitchburg State 6, Bridgewater State 7 (GM2)
Records: Fitchburg State (1-13, 0-2 MASCAC) I Bridgewater State 11-5, 2-0 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Game One

Bridgewater State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as Aubrey Carberry doubled to left center, scoring Makayla Ansell, Sydney Schaefer and Angelina Lynch for the 3-0 advantage. The Bears upped the lead to 4-0 in the following frame with Schaefer doubling to left field, plating Savanah Dubois.

Fitchburg State answered in the top of the third when freshman Rylee Freeman (Rockland, MA) walked, stole second and crossed the plate on an RBI double down the left field line off the bat of sophomore Carolyn Brodeur (Ashby, MA) to make the score 4-1.

Trailing 7-1 in the top of the fifth, the Falcons cut into the deficit as newcomer Kiley Connors (Newington, CT) singled up the middle, advanced to second on a ground out and came around to score on an RBI single to left center by Brodeur to make the score 7-2

The hosts extended the margin to 9-2 in the bottom of the fifth with Schaefer registering a two-run double down the left field line to drive in Emily Eastman and Trinity Andelin. The Green and Gold responded in the top of sixth (9-3) when sophomore Ariana Baez (Methuen, MA) reached on a fielders' choice before pinch runner Paige Konopka (Middlefield, CT) came around to score on an RBI single up the middle from sophomore Lauren Ahearn (Danvers, MA)

Fitchburg State capped the scoring in the top of seventh as newcomer Chloe Bafundo (Southington, CT) singled to shortstop, moved to second on a groundout and scored on an RBI double to center field by junior Jessica Mueller (Fitchburg, MA) ,resulting in the 9-4 final.

By The Numbers

• Brodeur led the way for the Falcons, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI
• Mueller finished 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI
• Senior Madison Solt (Salem, NH) took the loss for Fitchburg State, allowing seven runs (6 earned) on seven hits and one K over four innings of work

Game Two

Bridgewater State took a 1-0 edge in the bottom of the first as Aubrey Carberry doubled to left field to score Schaefer. The Bears upped the lead to 4-0 in the following frame with Lynch doubling to right center to bring in Sarah Silva, Isabel Bishop and Lily Gagnon.

Fitchburg State answered in the top of the third when Connors reached on a hit by pitch, moved the second on fielders' choice from Bafundo and scored on fielding miscue before Baez reached on a fielders' choice to bring in Bafundo before junior Julia Cooper (Lumberton, NJ) singled to center field to drive in Mueller to make the score 4-3.

The hosts pushed the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth as Lynch homered to left field before the Green and Gold  answered back in the top of the fifth with Mueller lacing a double to left center and scoring on an RBI single down the right field line by sophomore Emily Bennett (Gorham, ME) to trim the lead to 5-4.

The Green and Gold grabbed a 6-5 edge in the top of the sixth when Connors singled to first base, advanced to second on fielders' choice from Bafundo, stole third and scored on a failed pickoff attempt before Bafundo scored on a fielding error from the left fielder.

Bridgewater State tied the contest at 6-6 in the bottom of the sixth as Lynch doubled to left field, scoring Staffier before the Bears secured the victory in the victory in the bottom of seventh with Victoria Becker  singling to right field to drive in Makayla Ansell, resulting in the 7-6 final.

By The Numbers

• Connors paced the Falcons, hitting 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored
• Mueller finished 2-for-4 with a double and double and two runs scored for the Green & Gold
• Freshman Brianna Lynch (Pittsfield, MA) suffered the setback for Fitchburg State, yielding seven runs (6 earned) on 11 hits and two strikeouts over 6.1 innings of work

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Tuesday as the visit the Blazers of Elms College for a non-conference double header, starting at 2:00 PM.

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