BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Third-seeded Bridgewater State University rallied for a 3-2 victory over #6 Framingham State University in the single-elimination round of the 2015 MASCAC Softball Tournament on Thursday afternoon at Alumni Park.

The Bears (20-13) advances to the double-elimination portion of the tournament which starts on Friday. Bridgewater travels to North Adams, Massachusetts to take on second-seeded MCLA on Friday afternoon at four. The Rams end the season with an overall record of 13-20.

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Bears took advantage of a one-out error to push across three unearned runs. Breanna Shaffer reached on the miscue, moved to second on a bunt and to third on Courtney Leddy's infield single. After a wild pitch moved to Leddy to second, Kelly McCarthy walked and Shaffer raced home on the ball four wild pitch to cut the deficit to 2-1. Jackie Welch followed with a base hit through the left side bringing home Leddy from third with the tying run. Jessica Laudati then put the Bears on top 3-2 with an RBI single up the middle scoring McCarthy.

McCarthy (8-3) picked up the win in relief of starter Kathleen Bailey. The sophomore right-hander worked two scoreless innings giving up a hit and a walk with one strikeout. She retired MASCAC Player of the Year Tiffanie Marsh on a ground out with two on and two out in the top of the seventh to end the game.

Bailey allowed two runs on six hits over the first five innings. She walked one and fanned four.

Leddy (2-for-3) and Welch (2-for-3) finished with two hits apiece to pace the BSU offense.

Natasha Arseneau went the distance in the circle for the Rams in the setback. Arseneau (7-11) gave up three unearned runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Marsh went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI to lead the Framingham State offense. Marsh broke a scoreless tie in the fifth with a two-run single scoring Marissa Flynn and Dayna Marchant. Flynn, who singled to start the rally, also had multiple hits as she went 2-for-2 at the plate.

The Rams threatened in the top of the first as they loaded the bases with two outs on back-to-back singles by Marsh and Kylie Boyle and a hit batter, but Bailey induced a harmless pop up to second to end the threat. Marsh blasted a triple to deep right-center with two outs in the third but was stranded.

After Framingham had taken the 2-0 lead in the fifth, the Bears threatened in the home half of the inning as Welch led off the frame with a double. A wild pitched put Welch on third with nobody out, but Arsesnau retired the next three batters to avoid any damage.