CAPE CORAL, Fla. -- The Bridgewater State University softball team swept a pair of games on Wednesday to wrap up play at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Fort Myers and Cape Coral, Florida.
The Bears, who went 6-4 during their Florida trip, posted an 8-3 win over Bethany Lutheran College followed by a 9-0 victory in five innings over Wentworth.
Bridgewater State 8, Bethany Lutheran 3
Senior righthander Amber White (Middleboro, Mass.) improved to 5-0 in the circle in the win over Bethany Lutheran. White allowed a run on just two hits over four innings with a walk and six strikeouts.
The Bears took advantage of some shaky pitching as Viking hurlers issued nine walks and uncorked four wild pitches. Of the nine batters who walked, four came around to score.
Junior centerfielder Jessica Laudati (Berkley, Mass.) paced the BSU offense as she went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Senior catcher Jill Welch (Hubbardston, Mass.) walked three times in three plate appearances and scored two runs. Freshman DP Jennifer Galavotti (Marion, Mass.) singled in two runs during the Bears' three-run first inning.
BSU freshman righty Kathleen Bailey (Bayport, N.Y.) worked the final three innings to record her first collegiate save. Bailey gave up two runs on five hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Bridgewater State 9, Wentworth 0 (5 inn.)
The Bears used a seven-run first inning to coast to the 9-0 victory over Wentworth. The game was stopped due to the eight-run mercy rule after the top of the fifth inning.
Nine batters reached safely in the top of the first as Bridgewater strung together five hits, two walks and two hit batsmen. Laudati, freshmen Samantha LoPilato (Medford, Mass.), Sydney Ezold (Westfield, Mass.) and Breanna Shaffer (Plainville, Mass.), and sophomore Karissa Pagan (Brockton, Mass.) each knocked in runs in the frame.
The Bears took advantage of a pair of Wentworth errors in the second to push across two more runs. Welch rapped an RBI single in the frame.
Freshman righthander Iliana Rivera (Naugatuck, Ct.) recorded her first collegiate win and shutout in the circle for Bridgewater State. Rivera scattered three hits, walked one and fanned four.