Softball Swept in MASCAC Doubleheader at Bridgewater

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The MCLA Softball team began their final push to the MASCAC playoffs this afternoon when they traveled to Alumni Park and Bridgewater State. The Trailblazers entered play today with a one game lead over Bridgewater State for the #4 seed in the playoffs and the home game that comes with it. The Trailblazers hold two game lead over Salem State for the final playoff spot

THE BASICS:

• Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
• Game #1: MCLA 4, Bridgewater State 12
• Game #2: MCLA 2, Bridgewater State 3
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 12-18 (MASCAC 5-7) | Bridgewater State University Bears 14-16 (MASCAC 6-6)
• Series History: Bridgewater State leads the all-time series 62-25. The teams split a doubleheader in their meeting last year on April 27, 2024. MCLA won game #1 by a score of 4-0 while Bridgewater won game #2 6-1. The Bears took both games of a doubleheader the first time the teams met by scores of 6-0 and 7-0 on April 8, 1984.

HOW IT WENT DOWN

• Game #1
  • Bridgewater broke out to an early lead, putting up crooked number scores in the first, second, and third innings, before holding on for a run-rule game end after five innings.
  • After the Bears scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning, MCLA clawed one of those runs back in the top of the second when sophomore infielder Maggie Closinski (Rome, NY) drove a 3-2 pitch over the centerfield fence for her second homer of the season.
  • In the bottom of the second, BSU plated five more runs on two hits, and two painful errors for MCLA to grow their lead to 8-1.
  • The Trailblazers responded with their first crooked number of the afternoon in the top of the third inning. Sophomore outfielder Hannah Mitchem's (Baltimore, MD) sharp groundball ate up the Bears shortstop and moved to second when sophomore outfielder Samantha Wheeler (Agawam, MA) looped a ball over the second baseman into shallow rightfield. Grad student outfielder Maddy Teta (Troy, NY) then dropped a perfect bunt that died after hitting the ground to load the bases for junior second baseman Ella Staffier (Marshfield, MA). Staffier came up inches short of a grand slam, bouncing the first pitch she saw off the top of the fence but rebounding back into the field of play, and scoring Mitchem. Hailey Peabody (West Springfield, MA) then plated Wheeler and Teta with a lined single up the middle to cut the lead 8-4.
  • That would be as close as MCLA would get because the Bears answered back with four two-out runs in the bottom of the third on five hits.
  • BSU's Olivia Hargreaves struck out eight over five innings to pick up a complete game win, and advancing her record to 6-4. Sophomore pitcher Juliana Johansen (Pittsfield, MA) suffered the loss to even her record at 8-8 for the Trailblazers.
• Game #2
  • Game two started looking like another slugfest like the first game only to end as a tight pitcher's duel. MCLA opened the game by scoring two runs in the first, on three hits and an error, but left some meat on the bone with the Bears' Lily Gagnon escaping a bases loaded jam. Peabody led off with an infield single and then went first to third on Closinski's single through the right-side of the infield. Two batters later, Closinski stole second to get into scoring position ahead of a bunt single by Staffier that plated Peabody. When the attempt to catch Staffier at first went wide, Closinski scampered home as well.
  • Bridgewater scored two runs to level the game in the bottom of the frame. After Emily Marcotte led off with a shot back through the circle, Angelina Lynch lofted a high flyball over the centerfield fence for her third homer of the season before Peabody settled in and set down the next three Bears.
  • Following the Lynch shot, the teams combined for six hits over the next five innings. The Bears then scored an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth on a double and a two-base error before McKayla Cusack came in for a scoreless inning to record first save of the year.
  • The Bears' Gagnon allowed two runs over six innings while scattering six hits to earn the win and improve to 1-1, while Peabody struck out four but took the loss to fall to 4-9 despite notching her eighth complete game of the season for the Trailblazers.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Peabody's run in game number two was the 100^th of her career, becoming just fourth Trailblazer to reach that threshold, and joining Teta who got there earlier this season.
• Speaking of runs and Teta, with her run in the third inning of the first game, she took over sole possession of second place on the MCLA record holder list, passing Kate Wapenski who played from 1994 to 1998. She trails only Kristen Parzych's 142.

UP NEXT:

On Tuesday, MCLA will be back in action when it travels to Wagner Park and Skidmore College for a non-conference matchup with the Thoroughbreds. The first pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

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