Softball Secures Outright MASCAC Crown with Split with Bridgewater
Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University softball team took game two of Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader this afternoon 7-1 over Bridgewater State and secured the outright 2017 MASCAC regular season title. The Bears were victorious 1-0 in game one at Maple Street Field.
With the split, the Rams are now 26-10 on the year and 12-2 in the MASCAC. The Rams earn their first outright MASCAC regular season title and will be the top seed in the upcoming MACAC Tournament and have earned the right to host final rounds of the tournament next Saturday and Sunday. The Bears are now 15-19 on the year and 7-7 in the league.
The Bears plated the only run of the opener in the top of the first inning. Breanna Shaffer (Plainville, Mass.) singled to lead off the game and eventually scored from third on a wild pitch.
Sophomore Kelsi Gunarathne (North Providence, RI) took the loss in the opener for the Rams despite allowing just one earned run on three hits with nine strikeouts.
Bridgewater's Kathleen Bailey (Bayport, NY) was equally impressive in the circle for the Bears recording her 10th win of the season. Bailey went the distance and allowed just two hits with eight strikeouts and kept the Rams off the board.
In game two, the Rams received a three run homer from junior Anna Dziok (Southampton, Mass.) in the bottom of the first inning to take the lead for good.
The Bears cut the deficit to 3-1 in the top of the second on an RBI single by Courtney Gouveia (Taunton, Mass.), but the Rams added two more in the bottom of the inning on a two run double by junior Bridget McGrail (Worcester, Mass.).
An RBI double from junior Megan Downing (Hanson, Mass.) and an RBI fielder's choice by Dziok in the fourth accounted for the Rams final runs in the game.
Junior Jessica Pietersen (Norton, Mass.) earned the win for the Rams going seven innings and allowing one earned run on four hits. Bailey took the loss going an inning and allowing three earned runs on four hits.
The Rams close out the regular season on Tuesday at home when they host Suffolk University at 3 p.m. The Bears are back in action next Wednesday in the opening round of the MASCAC Softball Tournament.