Wellesley Softball Ends Season as NCAA Regional Runner-Up

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Bridgewater State captured the 2014 Division III Softball Wellesley Massachusetts Regional Championship with a 3-1 victory over Wellesley College on Sunday afternoon. The Bears now advance to the NCAA Super Regional next weekend against Tufts, winner of the Williamstown Massachusetts Regional, at a location and time to be determined.

Bridgewater State improves to 32-12 on the season with the victory, while the Blue end their 2014 season at 29-11, and as Regional Runner-Up.

Bridgewater's Amber White was once again stellar in the victory, throwing the full seven innings while allowing only five hits to go with three strikeouts and three walks. The Bears Tara McCann provided White all the run support she needed, blasting a three-run home run in the bottom of the third.

The game was tight through the early goings, with both pitchers keeping the hitters off balance. After the McCann blast, Wellesley's Lindsay Johnson settled, finishing the day with two earned runs on six hits and four strikeouts.

Wellesley cut the lead to 3-1 in the top of the fifth as a lead-off double from Ashtyn Coleman came around to score on a Jayne Ellis single to left. White, however, closed out the inning with a ground-out to limit the damage.

Wellesley attempted to rally in the top of the seventh with a one-out double by Jaclyn Tsang bringing the tying run to the plate. Tsang advanced to third on a groundout, but a hard liner was tracked down in center by Bridgewater State's Jessica Laudati, sealing the victory for the Bears.

The Bears were led offensively by freshman McCann, who went 1-for-3 on the day with the home run and three RBI. Five other players collected hits for Bridgewater in a balanced effort.

Wellesley was led by Coleman, who went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Jennifer Migliore reached base all three times at the plate with a pair of walks and a hit by pitch, while Tsang added a double to round out the Blue offense.

Following the game, White was named the Tournament Most Outstanding Player. She was joined on the All-Tournament team by teammates McCann, Jill Welch, and Kelly McCarthy. Wellesley's Johnson, Coleman, and Mariah Philips earned All-Tournament honors for the Blue, while Saint Joseph's Carla Trip and Lindsay Moore also collected the honor. Rounding out the team was Nina Wojkiewicz of Western Connecticut State.