Softball Opens MASCAC Tournament with 4-2 Win over Rams

Box Score | Tournament Bracket

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. --- Junior centerfielder Allie LeBlanc (Somerset, MA) belted her second home run of the season to help lead host and top-seeded Bridgewater State College over No. 4 seed Framingham State, 4-2, in the first round of the MASCAC Softball Tournament on Thursday afternoon at Alumni Park

The Bears (24-15) advance to the winner’s bracket to play No. 2 seed Westfield State, who shutout No. 3 seed Salem State, 5-0, earlier today. The loser’s bracket will feature the Rams and the Vikings at 11 A.M. on Saturday, while BSC will take-on the Owls at 1:30.

Junior righthander Alyssa Verronneau (Acushnet, MA) improved her record to 14-5 as she went the distance in the circle for the Bears. Verronneau pitched seven strong innings allowing one run while scattering 11 hits. She walked one batter while striking out 14.

Verronneau recorded a strikeout to end six of the seven innings.  The Rams had at least one runner on base in every inning and left 10 runners on the base paths by game's end.

Junior Katelyn Pacheco (Acushnet, MA) absorbed the loss for Framingham State. Pacheco (5-3) went four innings allowing four runs on five hits. She gave up three walks while fanning five batters. Senior Kelly Knox (Framingham, MA) came in relief of Pacheco and pitched two scoreless innings.

The Bears went up 3-0 in the bottom of the first on LeBlanc’s home run after senior DP Ciana Godin (Worcester, MA-DP) and freshman left fielder Tracey Sanko (Windsor, CT) led off the inning with a walk and a single.

Framingham got on the board in the top of the third when freshman shortstop Andrea DiTerlizzi (Shrewsbury, MA) plated junior third baseman Colleen Clancy (Lynn, MA) to make the score 3-1.

Bridgewater State tacked on a key insurance run in the bottom of the fourth as senior first baseman Danielle Trull-Donahue (Stoughton, MA) singled to lead off the inning and was replaced on the base paths by freshman pinch runner Brianna Yearwood (Cambridge, MA).  After the next two batters were retired, Yearwood stole second to get into scoring position. Junior third baseman Stacy Capodiece (East Lyme, CT)  then ripped a base hit up the middle to score Yearwood from second.

Over the next two frames, Framingham led off the fifth and sixth with the lead-off hitter reaching first, but the Rams could not capitalize on the opportunity.

In the top of the seventh, Verronneau got the first two outs, but then ran into trouble after she allowed a pair of base-hits. Sophomore DP Sara Mulkeen (Wrentham, MA) then drove in DiTerlizzi to make the score 4-2. With runners on first and second and the go-ahead run at the plate, Verronneau got out of the jam with a strikeout to end the game.

LeBlanc finished 1-for-3 with a run and three RBI for Bridgewater State while Capodeice went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Four other Bears finished the game with at least one hit.

For the Rams, DiTerlizzi and senior rightfielder Missy Howard (Dudley, MA) each went 3-for-4 while Clancy went 2-for-4.

Release written by Steven M. Miller, Jr --- Sports Information Correspondent