BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Framingham State University softball team captured its third straight conference title as the second-seeded Rams posted a 8-0 victory in five innings over #1 Bridgewater State University in the championship game of the 2019 Massachusetts State Collegiate State Collegiate Conference (MASCAC) Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Park.

By virtue of the tournament championship, the Rams (24-19) will advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the third straight season and fourth time in program history. The NCAA Division III Softball Tournament Selection Show will be webcast live at NCAA.com on Monday afternoon at one with regional play getting underway on Friday, May 10th.

Senior Lauren Salisbury (Cranston, R.I.) garnered tournament MVP honors as she batted .563 (9-16) in five games with three doubles, six runs scored and eight runs batted in. Salisbury went 3-for-3 with a run and two RBI in the championship game victory.

The Rams scored four times in the bottom of the first to take control of the game. Salisbury and freshman Farrah Adam (West Springfield, Mass.) rapped RBI singles in the frame, while freshman Laela Pepin (Acushnet, Mass.) plated a run with a sacrifice fly and junior Kirsten Dick (Tewksbury, Mass.) walked with the bases loaded.

A two-out RBI single by Dick in the bottom of the third extended the Framingham lead to 5-0. Salisbury added an RBI single in the fourth and the Rams ended the game on sophomore Camille Desrochers' (Westford, Mass.) two-run double in the bottom of the fifth.

Desrochers went 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles, a run and two RBI. Junior Kaylea Sherman (North Attleboro, Mass.) also finished with multiple hits for the Rams as she singled and double in three at bats and scored a run.

Senior Kelsi Gunarathne (North Providence, R.I.) tossed five scoreless inning to record her 15th win of the season and her fourth win of the tournament. Gunarathne (15-12) scattered four hits, walked one and fanned two.

Two BSU pitchers combined to give up eight runs (seven earned) on 13 hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Junior Meghan Navarro (Taunton, Mass.) singled twice in two at bats to lead the Bears' offense, while freshman Alexandra Taylor (Hebron, Conn.) went 1-for-2 with a double.