Softball Splits Non-Conference Twinbill with UMass Dartmouth

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with visiting UMass Dartmouth on Thursday afternoon at Alumni Park.  The host Bears (18-14) won the first game, 6-0, while the Corsairs (12-26) earned the split with a 1-0 victory in game two.

In the opener, BSU junior right-hander Amber White (Middleboro, Mass.) tossed six innings of one-hit ball as she raised her record to 11-5.  White, who retired 16 of the 18 batters she faced, fanned six and did not issue a walk as she lowered her earned run average to 0.77.  White has given up just one run (unearned) over her last 29 innings of work.

Bridgewater took advantage of four UMass Dartmouth errors as five of the Bears' six runs were unearned.

The Bears put the game away with a four-run fifth inning highlighted by a two-run double off the bat of senior left fielder Melissa Harmon (Shrewsbury, Mass.).

Senior third baseman Jennifer Shaw (Bridgewater, Mass.) paced BSU's seven-hit attack as she singled, doubled and walked twice in four plate appearances.  Shaw also scored a run and stole a base.  Senior catcher Brianna Strecker (Waterford, Conn.) went 1-for-3 with a run and three stolen bases.

Freshman Amanda McHugh (North Kingstown, R.I.) suffered the loss in the circle for the Corsairs as she was hurt by the four UMD miscues.  McHugh (3-9) allowed six runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

In game two, UMass rookie right-hander Shannon Orton (Swansea, Mass.) hurled a complete-game, four hit shutout to lead the Corsairs to the 1-0 victory and a split of the twinbill.  Orton (6-11) fanned eight and did not walk a batter.

UMass scored the only run of the game in the top of the seventh inning as Orton helped out her own cause by smacking a double to lead off the frame.  Freshman right fielder Rachel Carey (Holbrook, Mass.) followed with an RBI triple plating pinch runner Jessica Goncalves (New Bedford, Mass.) with the go head score.

Carey paced the Corsair offense in the nightcap as she went 2-for-3 with the game-winning RBI.

BSU senior right-hander Meghan Dunn (Colchester, Mass.) pitched well in the loss for the Bears.  Dunn (7-9) gave up just the one run on five hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout.  Strecker led the way offensively for Bridgewater as she went 2-for-3 with a double.

In upcoming action, the Bears travel to Mass. Maritime Academy on Friday afternoon for a MASCAC doubleheader with the Buccaneers starting at three. UMass travels to the University of Southern Maine on Saturday to take on the Huskies in a Little East Conference twinbill beginning at one.