BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Junior right-hander Tracey Sanko (Windsor, CT) tossed a two-hit shutout, and junior first baseman Penny King (Hanover, MA) homered and drove in five runs, as the Bridgewater State College softball team posted a 7-0 victory over Anna Maria College in the opening round of the ECAC Div. III New England Tournament.

The fifth-seeded Bears (19-19) advance to take on top seeded Keene State College.  Keene will host the remainder of the tournament, which is now a double-elimination format, on Saturday and Sunday.  Anna Maria, the #4 seed, ends the season with a record of 22-22.

Sanko struck out six batters and walked two as she improved to 5-1 on the season.  She allowed just one runner to reach second base throughout the contest.

King (2-for-4) belted a three-run homer during the Bears' four-run first inning and also singled in a pair of runs in the third.  The homer was her second of the season.

Senior second baseman Lauren Cucinotta (Franklin, MA) went 1-for-2 with two runs batted in as she opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first and plated another run in the fourth with a suicide squeeze bunt.

Sophomore center fielder Jordan McDermott (East Bridgewater, MA) tripled and walked twice in four plate appearances as she also scored three runs.  Senior left fielder Meghan Noyes (Stoughton, MA) and junior designated player Heather McPherson (Mansfield, MA) added two hits apiece for the Bears. 

Junior right-hander Holly Renna (Charlton, MA) went the distance in the circle for the Amcats.  Renna (19-15) allowed seven runs on ten hits with a pair of walks.