WESTFIELD, Mass. – Bridgewater State University and Westfield State University split a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) softball doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Westfield's Alumni Field.

The visiting Bears (11-11, 2-2 MASCAC) won the opener, 3-1, while the Owls (6-13, 1-3 MASCAC) earned the split with a 2-1 victory in game two.

In the opener, Bridgewater State rallied from a 1-0 deficit, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull out a 3-1 victory.

Westfield State pushed across the first run of the game in the third inning, when Michaela LeBlanc (Marblehead, Mass.) ripped an RBI double to score Bri Tortora (Worcester, Mass.), who reached base on an error.

In the sixth inning, Westfield committed two costly errors which led to a three-run inning for Bridgewater. Kelly McCarthy (Burlington, Mass.) and Kristyna Flaherty (Burlington, Mass.) each hit RBI singles in the frame to lead the Bears to the comeback victory.

McCarthy went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI to highlight the BSU offense.

Kathleen Bailey (Bayport, N.Y.) earned the win for Bridgewater, throwing seven strong innings, allowing just four hits and one unearned run. Bailey (2-4) walked two and fanned one.

Julia Sullivan (West Barnstable, Mass.) pitched well for Westfield, giving up just one earned run on six hits and walking none in the losing effort.

Westfield State's Emma Dunbar (Weymouth, Mass.) hit a walk off single in the bottom of the seventh inning in game two to salvage the split for the Owls.

Trailing 1-0, Westfield pushed home a run in both the sixth and seventh innings to complete the come-from-behind victory.

In the sixth inning, after a one-out single from Maddy Atkocaitis (Westfield, Mass.), Sullivan tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI triple, scoring Atkocaitis from first.

Sydney Ezold (Westfield, Mass.) led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double, and pinch runner Julia Hebert (Auburn, Mass.) scored the game-winning run on Dunbar's one-out single.  

Sarah Eugenio (Marshfield, Mass.) pitched a complete game to earn the win for the Owls, allowing seven hits and one run. Eugenio (3-3) struck out five batters and walked none.

In the seventh inning, with a runner in scoring position, Eugenio snared a hard liner for the third out to keep the game knotted at 1-1.

Bridgewater State scored its only run of the game in the fifth inning, when Flaherty ripped a lead-off double. A sacrifice bunt moved pinch runner Kacie Carvalho (Fairhaven, Mass.) to third. Carvalho then scored on a Westfield error to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.

McCarthy (9-5) took the loss in game two for Bridgewater, surrendering two runs on six hits and a pair of walks.

Tara McCann (Fall River, Mass.) went 3-for-3 to lead the Bears' seven-hit attack in the night cap.

Both teams are back in action with non-conference doubleheaders on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30. Westfield State hosts Keene State College, while Bridgewater State entertains Southeastern Massachusetts rival Wheaton College.