MCLA earns second seed in Softball after split with Bears

North Adams, MA- The MCLA Trailblazers softball program split a MASCAC twinbill with regular season champion Bridgewater State, earning themselves a first round bye in the upcoming championships.  MCLA would drop game one 2-1 before coming back and winning game two 3-0. MCLA will enter the MASCAC Tournament with a record of 13-15 (9-5 MASCAC) while Bridgewater has a record of 25-13 (13-1 MASCAC).

MCLA will enter the postseason as the second seed and has earned a first round bye.  The Trailblazers will host the winner of third seeded Worcester State and sixth seeded Fitchburg State on Friday afternoon at 3pm at the Zavattaro athletics complex.

Game one featured a pitchers duel with MCLA's Rachel Quackenbush and Bridgewater's Amber White. Both would not give up a run until the seventh inning. Quackenbush struck out nine in the loss and White struck out five.

Each team struggled to muster up some offense until the Bears finally broke through.

Bridgewater got on the board in the top of the seventh inning Sam LoPilato singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Jill Welch would walk and then they would both advance a base when Jillian Bettencourt singled. With two outs MCLA would commit an infield error and LoPilato and Welch would score.

In the bottom half of the inning, Quackenbush led off with a double to right, moved to third on an infield out and scored on a passed ball.  White would settle down and record the final two outs to secure the victory.

Game two, MCLA handed Bridgewater their first MASCAC loss of the season.

After two scoreless innings, MCLA would finally plate a run in the third.  Sierra Bailey walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Michaela DiNicola's RBI single to center. The Trailblazers would score two more runs in the fifth inning to create some separation. Sam Barbarotta earned a walk and  Bailey reached on an error. Both would come around to score on Abby Lucas' single to center.

Amanda Meczywor would earn the win in the circle and Quackenbush come on in the sixth to get the save. Meczywor gave up one Bridgewater hit over five innings, walking one and striking out one. Quackenbush struck out three.

Kathleen Bailey would take the loss for Bridgewater State, striking out three.

Bridgewater will enter the postseason as the top seed and will host the winner of fourth seeded Salem State and fifth seeded Framingham on Friday.  The Bears will then host the Saturday and Sunday games.