BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University softball team swept a MASCAC twinbill against visiting Salem State University on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Park.

The Bears won the first game, 8-0, in six innings, and completed the sweep with a 14-4, five-inning victory in the nightcap. Both games were stopped due to the eight-run mercy rule.

Bridgewater improves to 19-9 on the season and remains unbeaten in MASCAC play with a 6-0 conference mark.  The Bears have won four straight games, seven of their last eight and 12 of their last 14.  Salem falls to 9-18-1 overall and 2-4 in the MASCAC.

Game One: Bridgewater State 8, Salem State 0 (6 Inn.)

Amber White (Middleboro, Mass.) continued her stellar pitching as she tossed a complete game two-hitter.  White (14-2) fanned six and did not walk anyone as she recorded her ninth shutout of the season and 23rd as a member of the BSU softball team.  She is one shutout shy of Amanda Sanson's (1999-2002) program mark of 24.

Jennifer Galavotti (Marion, Mass.) was one of four Bears to finish with multiple hits in the opener as she went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an RBI single. Jill Welch (Hubbardston, Mass.) finished with two hits in three at bats including a walk-off two-run double in the sixth which rounded out the scoring.  Jessica Laudati (Berkley, Mass.) singled twice and walked in four plate appearances as she scored a run and drove in one. Courtney Leddy (Saugus, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.

The Bears broke open the game with a five-run sixth inning highlighted by Galavotti's home run and Welch's game-ending two-run double.

Francesca Perreault (Everett, Mass.) suffered the loss in the circle for the visiting Vikings.  Perreault (4-5) gave up three runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings of work.  She walked two and struck out one.

Game Two: Bridgewater State 14, Salem State 4 (5 Inn.)

Bridgewater pounded out a season-high 17 hits in game two to earn a sweep of the conference twinbill with the resounding 14-4 victory.

All nine batters recorded at least one hit for the Bears with Welch and Tara McCann (Fall River, Mass.) leading the way with three hits apiece.  Welch went 3-for-3 with a run scored, while McCann finished 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs and three RBI.

Galavotti continued her hot hitting as she went 2-for-3 with her second home run of the day, third in last three games and team-leading fifth of the season.  Laudati finished 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and three RBI.

The Bears used a five-run third inning to open up a 6-1 lead on the strength of Laudati's two-run double and a three-run homer by Galavotti. After the Vikings cut the deficit to 6-4, the Bears answered with two runs in the fourth on an RBI single by Laudati with the second run coming around on a Salem error.

The Vikings loaded the bases with one-out in the fifth, but White came on in relief and induced a double play to end the threat.

A six-run fifth inning capped off by a walk-off three-run blast by McCann put the finishing touches on the victory for the Bears. Jocelyn Bettencourt (Plymouth, Mass.) added a two-run single in the frame while Karissa Pagan (Brockton, Mass.) also singled in a run.

Bettencourt went 2-for-3 with a walk and scored three runs to go along with her two RBI.  Pagan finished 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Iliana Rivera (Naugatuck, Conn.) improved to 4-1 on the season in the circle for the Bears in game two.  Rivera gave up four runs on eight hits and five walks in 4 1/3 innings of work with one strike out.  White earned her second save as she lowered her ERA on the season to an impressive 0.54 and extended her scoreless inning streak to 31 2/3.

Cara Crowley (Lynn, Mass.), Rebecca Krigman (Malden, Mass.) and Kristin McKenzie (Arlington, Mass.) finished with two hits apiece to lead the Salem offense in game two. Krigman drove in two runs, while Crowley scored two and drove in one.

Lauren DiCredico (Tewksbury, Mass.) was tagged with the loss for the Vikings in the nightcap.  DiGredico (3-7) gave up six runs (five earned) on seven hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings.

The MASCAC schedule resumes for both teams on Tuesday afternoon.  The Bears host Mass. Maritime Academy at 3:30, while the Vikings entertain Framingham State University at two.