Vikings Lose Two to Bears

SALEM, Mass. – Alexandra Ruprecht (Kingston, Mass.) went 4-for-5 with three runs scored to lead the Bridgewater State Bears to a 13-7,  game one  victory  over the Salem State Vikings in the MASCAC opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field. Kelley Reichert  (Milford, Mass.) followed with a five-inning shutout as Bridgewater State (5-12, 2-0) completed the sweep in a 9-0 win over Salem State (8-8, 0-2) in game two.

Bridgewater State struck first with a run in the second on an RBI single by Meghan Navarro (Taunton, Mass.). The visitors then added a four-run third off Salem State starter Brooke Westmoreland (Saugus, Mass.). A sacrifice fly by Megan Sharon (East Longmeadow, Mass.) plated the first run. The Bears then took advantage of two Salem State errors, the second which allowed two runners to come home, made the score 5-0.      

Bridgewater State extended the lead to 11-0 in the fourth.  RBI singles by Sharon and Alexandra Ruprecht (Kingston, Mass.) and an error made the score 8-0. A fielder's choice and single by Kacie Carvalho (Fairhaven, Mass.) pushed the lead 10-0 before Vikings' pitcher Westmoreland was lifted for Nia Neves (Medford, Mass.). Neves threw a wild pitch, allowing another run to come home before being replaced by Westmoreland after being injured on the play.

Salem State broke through in the bottom of the fourth with two runs as Kasey Nolan (Braintree, Mass.) and Gracie Hogan (Northbridge, Mass.) hit back-to-back RBI singles.

After Bridgewater State countered with a run, Salem State answered with a four-run fifth, highlighted by a two-run home run from Chloe Manousos (Lowell, Mass.), which just clipped the right field foul pole.

The Vikings added a run in the seventh, but Bears' pitcher Natalie Sorrenti (Bridgewater, Mass.) finished the complete game to earn her fourth win of the year. Sorrenti gave up three earned runs on nine hits with four strikeouts while not walking a batter. Westmoreland took the loss, allowing five earned runs on 13 hits with three strikeouts and three walks.

Samantha Mulcahy (Taunton, Mass.) had three hits for the Bridgewater State while Mikayla Porcaro (Amesbury, Mass.) went 3-for-4 with three runs for the Vikings.

The Bears wasted little time in game two as the visitors posted four runs in the opening inning. Ruprecht and Jenny Heller (Taunton, Mass.) each had RBI base hits before Navarro launched a two-run double to center for a 4-0 lead. Two more runs in the second and third innings increased the lead to 6-0. The Bears used a three-run fourth, highlighted by RBI hits from Heller and Carvalho to make the score 9-0.

Reichert allowed just one hit after the first, and finished with a three-hitter, with a walk and two strikeouts in earning the win.

Gracie Hogan (Northbridge, Mass.) lasted three innings, giving up four earned runs on 10 hits with a walk and strikeout in the loss. Dominique Del Vecchio (Stoneham, Mass.) pitched the final two innings, and gave up three runs on five hits with three walks.

Shannon Grindle (Halifax, Mass.). finished 3-for-4 with two runs for the Bears while Heller and Meghan Navarro each had two hits and two RBI.