Bridgewater State and Westfield State are moving on to the MASCAC Softball quarterfinal round on Thursday after winning their first round contests on Wednesday afternoon.

No. 3 Westfield State 8, No. 6 Fitchburg State 0            Box Score

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State University's freshman Emily Arredondo (Woburn, Mass.) pitched a four-hit shutout to help lead the softball team to an 8-0 victory in the first round of the MASCAC tournament Wednesday afternoon.
 
Arredondo went five innings, allowing no runs on four hits.
 
The Owls' improve to 15-18 overall while the Falcons end their season with a record of 13-20.
 
Westfield State came out hot in the first inning, scoring five of their eight runs that began with an RBI single from senior Maddy Atkocaitis (Westfield, Mass.). Freshman teammate Lindsay Cordopatri (Walpole, Mass.) reached home on a fielder's choice to gain the 2-0 lead.
 
An RBI single from junior Karly Mastello (Russell, Mass. / Westfield) followed by an RBI groundout from senior Angelica Banning(East Granby, Conn. / Suffield) extended their lead by two.
 
Owls' senior Michaela LeBlanc (Marblehead, Mass.) drove in another run with a single of her own to make it 5-0 going into the second inning.
 
Westfield State responded with three more runs in the bottom of the second, to quell any thoughts of a comeback.
 
Sophomore McKenzie Lambert (Wilbraham, Mass. / East Longmeadow), junior Melissa DiPhilippo (Norfolk, Mass. / King Philip), junior Nicole Sylvester (Everett, Mass.) and freshman Cammi Sperling (Rutland, Mass. / Wachusett Regional) all had one hit for Fitchburg State.
 
Freshman Taylor Colvin (Lancaster, Mass. / Nashoba Regional) took the pitching loss, allowing five runs on five hits.
 
The Owls travel to Framingham State on Thursday, May 3^rd for the second round of the MASCAC tournament beginning at 3:30 p.m. The tournament continues as a double-elimination format, with Worcester State hosting the remaining games on Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6.

No. 4 Bridgewater State 9, No. 5 Salem State 1               Box Score

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Fourth-seeded Bridgewater State University defeated #5 Salem State University, 9-1 in five innings, in the opening round of the 2018 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Softball Tournament on Wednesday afternoon at Alumni Park.

With the win, Bridgewater State advances to the four-team double elimination portion of the tournament. The Bears (18-17) will travel to Worcester State University on Thursday evening to take on the top-seeded Lancers at six.

Salem State ends the 2018 season with an overall record of 13-21.

Junior DP Rebecca Uschmann (Feeding Hills, Mass.) belted a three-run homer to stake the Bears to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore centerfielder Meghan Navarro(Taunton, Mass.) worked a one-out walk to get the rally started and advanced to third when sophomore first baseman Shannon Grindle (Halifax, Mass.) rifled a double to the alley in left-center field. Uschmann then belted a 1-1 offering off the top of the scoreboard in left to put Bridgewater on top.

The Vikings got on the board with an RBI double off the bat of junior right fielder Chloe Manousos (Lowell, Mass.) in the top of the fourth.

The Bears quickly answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the fourth to make it a 5-1 game. Navarro singled in a run in the frame.

Bridgewater then pushed across four runs in the bottom of the fifth to put the finishing touches on the 9-1 victory. The Bears took advantage of two errors in the inning. Freshman right fielder Alexandra Ruprecht (Kingston, Mass.) drove in a run  with a sacrifice fly and junior catcher Tabitha Domeij (Westborough, Mass.) added an RBI ground out. Junior left fielder Kacie Carvalho (Fairhaven, Mass.), who reached on an infield single, scored the game-ending run following a muffed throw at first base.

Sophomore right-hander Natalie Sorrenti (Bridgewater, Mass.) went the distance in the circle for the Bears to pick up her team-leading ninth win of the season. Sorrenti (9-2) allowed a run on four hits. She did not walk a batter and fanned three.

Uschmann paced BSU's ten-hit attack as she went 2-for-2 with the three-run homer, a single and a walk. The home run marked the first of her career. Carvalho (2-for-3, run) also recorded multiple hits for the Bears.

Senior righty Meghan Black (Winchendon, Mass.) suffered the loss in the circle for Salem State. Black was tagged for five runs (four earned) on six hits and four walks with a pair of strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings of work. Senior pitcher Ileish Burney (Bristol, Conn.) gave up four runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits in 1 1/3 innings of relief. The Vikings' defense was charged with three errors in the contest which led to four unearned runs.

Releases courtesy of Bridgewater State and Westfield State Sports Information