White, Strecker Lead Softball to 4-0 MASCAC Tournament Win over Salem

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Sophomore Amber White (Middleboro, Mass.) tossed a two-hit shutout and junior Brianna Strecker (Colchester, Conn.) belted a two-run homer to lead second-seeded Bridgewater State to a 4-0 victory over number three Salem State in the opening round of the 2012 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Softball Tournament on Thursday afternoon at Alumni Park.

Bridgewater advances to the winner's bracket final on Saturday as the Bears will take on fourth-seeded Westfield State at two.  Salem will face number one seed Worcester State in an elimination game on Saturday at noon.  Worcester, which hosts the remainder of the double-elimination tournament, dropped a 3-1 decision to Westfield in the other first round matchup.

White (16-5) was outstanding throughout as she allowed just one base runner to reach second base and retired the final 12 batters of the game.  White did not walk anyone and fanned three.

Bridgewater broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth when freshman Jocelyn Bettencourt (Plymouth, Mass.) singled to lead off the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.  Sophomore Jasmyn McCone (Taunton, Mass.) then rifled a single into right field to plate Bettencourt with the first run of the game.  One out later, Strecker blasted a long home run over the centerfield fence to give the Bears a 3-0 lead.

BSU added a run in the sixth as junior Melissa Harmon (Shrewsbury, Mass.) doubled with one out.  Senior Stephanie Burns (North Attleboro, Mass.) then reached on a bunt single, and Harmon scampered home with the Bears' fourth run when the Viking's late throw to first got away.

Junior Alyssa Bryan (Stoneham, Mass.) suffered the loss in the circle for Salem.  Bryan (15-4) allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.

Senior Jordan McDermott (East Bridgewater, Mass.) led the Bears' eight hit attack as she singled twice in three at bats.