BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The visiting UMass Boston softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader with Bridgewater State University on Thursday afternoon at Alumni Park. UMass won the first game 15-1 in five innings and completed the sweep with an 8-3 victory in the nightcap.
The Beacons improve to 12-2 on the season with their fifth consecutive win, while the host Bears fall to 4-10 with their seventh straight setback.
In game one, the Beacons pushed across five runs in the top of the third inning to break open a scoreless tie. The inning was highlighted by a three-run home run by sophomore center fielder Taylor Pawlina (Woonsocket, R.I.). Senior second baseman Kaitlyn Morse (Arlington, Mass.) got the scoring started in the frame with an RBI double.
UMass then exploded for eight runs in the fourth inning to put the game well out of reach. Senior Gia Raczkowski (Stoneham, Mass.) and sophomore Roxanne Vento (Arlington, Mass.) both rapped two-run doubles in the frame, while senior Lauren Mitsiaris (Taunton, Mass.) and freshman Kiera Prusmack added RBI singles.
The Beacons tacked on a pair of runs in the fifth with freshman Jessie Tenaglia (Braintree, Mass.) picking her up her first career hit and RBI.
Bridgewater avoided the shutout with a run in the bottom of the fifth as senior Samantha LoPilato (Medford, Mass.) scored on freshman Shannon Grindle's RBI ground out. That would be all the scoring, however, as UMass came away with the 15-1 mercy rule victory.
Morse, Vento, Pawlina, freshman Gigi Braga (Medford, Mass.) and sophomore Alyssa Tulley (Lowell, Mass.) all finished with two hits apiece to lead the Beacons' 16-hit attack.
Sophomore Kacie Carvalho (Fairhaven, Mass.) was the only Bear with multiple hits as she went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.
Freshman right-hander Jess Greenspan (Rocky Hill, Conn.) picked up the complete game win in the circle for the visitors. Greenspan allowed a run on five hits with no walks and a strikeout.
Two BSU pitchers were reached for 15 runs (ten earned) on 16 hits with five walks and one strikeout.
In game two, UMass took advantage of a Bridgewater State miscue in the top of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. Pawlina plated both runs with an RBI double.
The Bears answered with an unearned run in the home half of the first as senior Courtney Leddy (Saugus, Mass.) lined a triple over the left fielder's head and trotted home when Grindle reached on an error.
The Beacons extended their advantage to 3-1 in the top of the third as Raczkowski walked with one out, moved to second on a passed ball and scored on Pawlina's RBI double.
The score remained that way until the bottom of the sixth when the Bears rallied for two runs to knot things up at 3-3. Grindle doubled with one out to start the rally. After an out, junior Kristyna Flaherty (Burlington, Mass.) smashed an RBI double to deep left field to plate Grindle. Sophomore Tabitha Domeij (Westborough, Mass.) followed with a line single to center to bring home Flaherty with the tying run.
UMass, however, sent ten batters to the plate in the seventh inning as the Beacons scored five runs on six hits to take a commanding 8-3 lead. Morse's RBI fielder's choice grounder reclaimed the lead the for the visitors, while Vento, Raczkowski, Tulley and Mitsiaris all had run scoring singles in the frame.
Pawlina had two doubles and three RBI in game two as she went 4-for-7 in the twinbill with a home run, three doubles, three runs scored and six RBI.
Vento, Tulley, Prusmack and junior Kayla Harris (Cumberland, Maine) also recorded multiple hits for the Beacons in the nightcap.
Greenspan recorded her second win of the afternoon and eighth of the season with another complete game effort. Greenspan (8-1) gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits in seven innings. She did not walk a batter and fanned three.
Leddy went 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored to pace the BSU offense in game two.
Both teams are slated to open conference play this weekend. The Bears host a doubleheader with Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) rival Westfield State University on Saturday at noon. The Beacons entertain Little East Conference foe Plymouth State University on Sunday afternoon with game one of the twinbill getting underway at one.