Courtesy Westfield State Sports Information

Bridgewater State 6, Westfield State 4

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Leadoff hitter Tracey Sanko (Windsor, Conn.) was 3 for 4 with two runs scored two stolen bases, and Penn King (Hanover) rapped a two-run single to lift Bridgewater State to a 6-4 victory over Westfield State in the winner's bracket of the Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference (MASCAC) softball tournament.

Bridgewater (27-9) and Westfield (23-13) will square off again in Sunday's championship game, scheduled for 12:00 at Westfield State College. Following its defeat to Bridgewater State, Westfield held on for a 5-4 victory over Framingham State later Saturday to eliminate the Rams.

Bridgewater is the lone unbeaten team remaining in the four-team, double-elimination tournament and has to win a game on Sunday. The MASCAC champion earns an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III national tournament.

Westfield ace pitcher Chelsea Sylvia retired the side in order in the first three innings, but Bridgewater struck for three runs in the top of the fourth.

Sanko beat out an infield single to start the inning and later scored on a run-scoring single by Heather McPherson. King then ripped a single to left field to drive in two more runs.

The Bears increased their lead to 6-0 with single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Stacy Capodiece (East Lyme, Conn.) clubbed a solo homer in the fifth and Meghan Noyes pounded an RBI double off the center field fence in the sixth. In the seventh, Sanko singled, stole second and third and scoring on a throwing error.

Westfield made it interesting in the seventh when it collected four of its nine hits, with the big blow Kim Brennan's (Douglas) one-out grand slam homer just over the left field fence.

Westfield leadoff batter Jackie Mason (Florida, Mass.) was 3 for 4 and Lindsay Jardin was 2 for 4. Sanko was the only Bear with multiple hits.

Sylvia sustained the pitching loss, allowing nine hits, two walks and striking out five. Alyssa Verronneau (Acushnet) was the winning pitcher. Verronneau was relieved in the fifth by Jamie Ducinski. But Verronneau relieved Ducinski in the seventh and gave up the grand slam to her first batter.

Framingham State 3, MCLA 1

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Freshman shortstop Christy Ulak (Rehoboth) cracked a two-run homer and senior Katelyn Pacheco (Acushnet) pitched a four-hitter to lead Framingham State to a 3-1 victory over MCLA in the loser's bracket of the Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference (MASCAC) softball tournament.

Framingham advances to play the loser of the Saturday's 1:30 winner's bracket game between Bridgewater State and Westfield State. No. 4 seed MCLA is eliminated from the double-elimination tournament.

Ulak snapped a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning when she smacked her two-run circuit shot over the left field fence. Framingham tallied another run in the fifth on an RBI single by freshman Katie Donovan (Holden).

MCLA scored a run on no hits in the top of the sixth. Amey Blackburn(Seekonk) walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. She advanced to third on a sacrifice hit and scored on a groundout by Amber Coburn (Colrain).

Pacheco, who threw an effective changeup, walked two and struck out nine. Kate Ouellette (Norwood) collected two of MCLA's four hits.

Framingham finished with eight hits. Colleen Clancy (Lynn) was 2-for-3.

Westfield State 5, Framingham State 4

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State jumped out to a 5-1 second-inning lead and held for a 5-4 victory over Framingham State to advance to the championship game of the Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference (MASCAC) softball tournament.

The Owls, 23-13, face rival Bridgewater State in the title tilt, scheduled for Sunday, May 3, at 12:00 at Westfield State College. Bridgewater is unbeaten in the double-elimination format after defeating Westfield, 6-4, earlier on Saturday. Westfield would have to defeat Bridgewater twice on Sunday to capture the MASCAC championship and an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III tournament.

Framingham jumped out to a 1-0 lead by scoring an unearned run in the first inning. Westfield tied the score in the home half of the first on an RBI single by Katie Gorman (Feeding Hills).

The Owls erupted for four runs on six hits in the second inning, knocking Framingham freshman pitcher Alysia Morrissette (Ware) from the game.

The key hits in Westfield's four-run second were an RBI triple by Lindsay Jardin (Assonet), an RBI double by Kim Brennan (Douglas) and a run-scoring single from Alicia Gardner (Athol). Framingham scored a run in the third inning on a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt at third base, and closed to within two, 5-3, in the fifth on a solo home run by Colleen Clancy (Lynn).

The Rams scored a run in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Andrea DeTirlizzi (Shrewsbury) and had the bases loaded with one out. But the huge scoring threat was thwarted when Westfield relief pitcher Chelsea Sylvia struck out the dangerous Katie Donovan (Holden) swinging on a changeup and got Katelyn Pacheco to pop up to Gorman at first base on a 3-1 pitch.

Framingham threatened to score again in its final at bat with a runner in scoring position and one out. But Sylvia struck out two straight batters, including a called third strike on a changeup.

Senior Casey Riddell (Orange) pitched a gutsy five and a third innings to notch the victory, with Sylvia earning her first save this season. Westfield pitchers did not issue a walk.

Framingham out-hit Westfield, 13-10. Jardin was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI triple and Brennan was 2 for 4 with an RBI double.

Clancy was 4 for 4 with a homer, double and two singles. DiTerlizzi and Alyssa Shea (Lakeville) were both 2 for 4.