BABSON PARK, Mass.—Sophomore Deb Colpitts (Levant, Maine) scored the game-winning run in the top of the second inning and sophomore Kayla Merrill (Bethel, Maine) and junior Amanda Ryan (Brewer, Maine) combined on an eight-hit shutout as seventh-seeded Husson University beat sixth-seeded Bridgewater State University, 1-0, in an elimination game on Friday afternoon in the Babson Park Regional at Alumni Field.
Husson, which earned its first-ever NCAA Tournament win, moves to 31-11-1 on the season while Bridgewater State University sees its season come to an end at 26-17.
Merrill moved to 5-1 on the season by scattering seven hits over 5 2/3 innings with three strikeouts before giving way to Ryan, who got the final four outs of the game to earn her first save of the season. Senior Lona Sargent (Sullivan, Maine) and sophomore Heidi Shaw (Manchester, Maine) had the only hits in the game for the Eagles, who took advantage of four errors and two walks.
Senior Meghan Dunn (Colchester, Conn.) took the loss for the Bears, allowing one unearned run on one hit to go along with a strikeout in four innings of work. Junior Amber White(Middleboro, Mass.) who tossed a complete game against Babson in Bridgewater State's opening round loss on Friday morning, gave up one hit and struck out a pair of batters over the final three innings. Sophomore Jessica Laudati (Berkley, Mass.) and senior Courtney Gregoire (Dartmouth, Mass.) each had two hits for the Bears.
After being shutout against Rowan earlier in the day, Husson put together their best scoring opportunity of the day in the top of the second inning. Colpitts reached second as Bridgewater State shortstop Jocelyn Bettencourt (Plymouth, Mass.) misplayed a groundball and overthrew first baseman Meagan Pacheco (Somerset, Mass.) to start the inning before quickly moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by Merrill. First-year Sami Schultz (Hermon, Maine) walked on four pitches and pinch-runner sophomore Melissa Souza (East Bridgewater, Mass.) stole second giving the Eagles runners on second and third with just one out. Colpitts scored one batter later when Dunn misplayed a bunt by Shaw, giving Husson a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Victoria Overlock (Belfast, Maine) followed with a walk, but Dunn was able to induce a pair of inning ending groundouts to limit the damage and escape a bases loaded jam.
The Bears were not without their opportunities on the day, getting a hit in each of the final six innings but left seven runners on base. Bettencourt was thrown out at home trying to score on a single and a throwing error in the third inning, Laudati was stranded at second following a one-out double in the fourth and Laudati and junior Jill Welch (Hubbardston, Mass.) were unable to advance following back-to-back singles in the sixth.
Husson advances to an elimination game on Saturday at 12:00 noon and will await the loser of Friday afternoon's game against Tufts and Springfield.
GAME NOTES: Friday's game between Bridgewater State and Husson was the first meeting between the two programs…With the win, the Eagles moved to 3-4 on the season in one-run games while the Bears, who lost 1-0 to Babson on Friday morning dropped to 9-10 in games decided by a run…Husson now has 20 shutouts on the season...White set the BSU single-season record for earned run average as she finished the campaign with an impressive 0.60 ERA. White eclipsed the Bears' previous mark of 0.71 set by Darlene Dusseault in 1986.