BRIDGEWATER STATE ELIMINATED FROM NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIP

PROVIDENCE, RI, May 9, 2008 - Fourth-seeded Wellesley College eliminated sixth-seeded Bridgewater State, 11-0, in game six of the 2008 NCAA Division III New England Regional Softball Tournament, hosted by Rhode Island College at the Dayna A. Bazar Softball Complex in Providence.

The Blue (29-10-1) advance to play an elimination game with seventh-seeded Rivier this afternoon at 4 p.m. The Bears (26-17) end their season in the loss.

The Blue jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as senior starting pitcher Jenna Harvey (London, Ontario) and classmate senior catcher Kara Wong (Milford, Mass.) each belted bases loaded RBI singles.

The Bears sandwiched a hit between two walks to load the bases in the bottom of the first with nobody, but Harvey was up to the task, striking out the side to get out of the jam.

Wellesley sophomore left fielder Megan Wood (Jacksonville, Fla.) notched an RBI single in the second frame to make the score, 3-0.

The Blue put the game out of reach in the third with a three-run outburst. Senior shortstop Alexandria Coari (Geneva, Ill.) plated one run with an RBI infield bunt single and junior second baseman Amanda Tai (Melrose, Mass.) smacked a two-run double to left center field.

Wellesley tacked on five more runs in the sixth as Harvey belted a three-run homer (2) and Tai knocked in two more with a single. Both players logged four RBI on the day. Harvey picked up the win (17-4) in her 10th shutout of the season, allowing just three hits, while striking out four, in six innings.

Bridgewater State junior starting pitcher Alyssa Verronneau (Acushnet, Mass.) took the loss (16-7), allowing 11 runs, only five of which were earned, on 11 hits. Verronneau walked three, struck out one and hit a batter.  She ends the season with 166 strikeouts, the second highest single-season total in BSC softball history.

Sophomore right fielder Meghan Noyes (Stoughton, MA) walkes three times in three plate appearances for the Bears. Freshman left fielder Tracey Sanko (Windsor, CT), senior second baseman Nicole Hebert (Taunton, MA) and senior catcher Lindsey Allison (South Easton, MA) recorded BSC's three hits in the game.