MCLA earns sweep over visiting Bears

Williamstown, MA- MCLA earned a sweep over visiting Bridgewater State this afternoon. They opened up the day taking the first game 2-0 and then beat the Bears 2-1 in game two. With the sweep MCLA improves to 10-14 overall and 4-2 in conference play and Bridgewater falls to 12-13, 2-3.

Bridgewater got runners on base right away in the first inning when Bri Strecker and Jocelyn Bettencourt bunted their way on base but then were stranded at first and second as the next three batters went down in order.  The next Bridgewater runner didn't reach base until the third inning on an error.

MCLA couldn't get runners on base until the fourth inning. With one out, Michaela DiNicola reached on an error by the catcher and moved to second on a base hit by Amanda Meczywor. A pop up to second and a ground ball back to the pitcher ended the inning.

MCLA's defense dug deep in the fifth inning when Bri Denucci led off with a base hit to center, advanced to center on an infield error. With runners on first and second Strecker hit a base hit to left and Denucci tried scoring on the play. Left fielder Sam Barbarotta gunned her down at the plate. Strecker took second on the play and Meg Pacheco took third. Bettencourt hit a grounder to Angelica Perfido who froze Pacheco at third, threw Bettencourt out at first and then first basemen Megan Boyer threw Pacheco out trying to score on the throw to first. The double play ended the inning and Bridgewater's late threat.

A rally by MCLA proved to be all they needed to knock off Bridgewater. Abby Lucas led off with a single to center field. A strike out by Kendra Hobbs and a sacrifice bunt by DiNicola set the Trailblazers up to score. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning Meczywor doubled scoring Lucas and putting them up 1-0. The Trailblazers weren't done yet as Perfido singled home Meczywor giving them a two run cushion heading into the top of the seventh.

Rachel Quackenbush who took over in the sixth inning for Meczywor faced six batters and sent all six of them back to the bench.

In the night cap the Trailblazers didn't wait to get on the board. Hobbs reached first on an error was sacrificed to second, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a Perfido base hit.

The Trailblazers scored again in the second inning on a solo home run by Tanelle Ciempa and that was all they needed to earn the victory.

The Bears put themselves on the board in the sixth inning when Strecker reached base. Strecker went from first to third on Jen Shaw's base hit and scored when Shaw got herself in a run down. That was the only run the Bears could put on the score board for the day.

MCLA will be back at it again tomorrow when they take on the Vikings of Salem State. The game will be played at Westfield State College starting at 12:00 pm. Bridgewater will play Worcester State at 12:00 also.