MINNEOLA, Fla. -- The Bridgewater State University softball team opened the 2018 season with a pair of games at The Spring Games in Minneola, Florida on Saturday.
The Bears (1-1) posted a 13-2 victory in six innings (mercy rule) over Johnson State College in the opener, and then dropped a 6-0 decision to Southwestern University.
Bridgewater State 13, Johnson State 2 (6 Inn.)
Sophomore first baseman Shannon Grindle (Halifax, Mass.) went 3-for-3 with a home run and six RBI to lead the Bears to the 13-2 victory over the Badgers.
Grindle rapped a two-run double during the Bears' seven-run second inning. She added an RBI single in the fifth and belted a three-run homer in the sixth.
Bridgewater State banged out 12 hits in the contest. The Bears were also issued four walks and were hit by a pitch twice.
Junior second baseman Jenny Heller (Taunton, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored in the win, while sophomore shortstop Samantha Mulcahy (Taunton, Mass.) was 1-for-3 at the plate with a walk, two runs and two RBI.
Sophomore pitcher Kaitlyn Shaw (Lakeville, Mass.) allowed two runs (one earned) over 5 1/3 innings to pick up her first win in a BSU uniform. Shaw (1-0) scattered four hits. walked one and fanned five. Sophomore pitcher Deianeira Underhill (Rochester, Mass.) retired the only two batters she faced to close out the game.
Southwestern 6, Bridgewater State 0
Sophomore pitcher Bailey Meyer (Colorado Springs, Colo.) tossed a complete game, four-hit shutout to lead Southwestern to the 6-0 win. Meyer (5-2), who retired the first 15 batters she faced, fanned 13 and did not issue a walk.
BSU freshman DP Krista Kennedy (Danvers, Mass.) broke up the no-hit bid with a lead-off single in the bottom of the sixth inning. Grindle, Heller and junior pitcher Mackenzie Holt (Gilroy, Calif.) also added hits for the Bears.
Holt (0-1) went the distance in the circle giving up six runs on 14 hits and four walks.
Sophomore DP Katie Bricarell (Cypress, Texas) went 3-for-4 with a double, a run and two RBI to pace the Pirates' offense.
The Florida trip continues for Bridgewater State on Sunday morning as the Bears take on the University of Mount Union (9:00 AM) and Elizabethtown College (11:30 AM).