BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Seeing its first action since opening the season last week in Florida, the Bates College softball team split Wednesday's doubleheader at Bridgewater State, taking game one behind another strong pitching performance from Delaney Rankin before falling in game two, despite a late rally.


GAME ONE
Behind  stellar complete-game effort from Rankin, the Bates softball team secured a 4-1 victory over Bridgewater State in the opening game of Wednesday's doubleheader at Alumni Park. Rankin (6-0) was excellent in the circle, striking out 11 while scattering five hits (6 BB) across seven innings.

Bates (9-3) wasted no time getting on the board, striking in the top of the first. 3B Emma Yen and SS Ella Maher delivered back-to-back singles before CF Zariya Anderson drove in Yen with an RBI single up the middle for the early 1-0 advantage.

After adding another run in the second off Maher's RBI single, the Bobcats held a 2-0 lead until the Bears cut the deficit in the fifth on a two-out RBI double from 3B Sydney Schaefer. But that was the only offense the Bears could muster against Rankin, who worked out of trouble on multiple occasions, stranding nine runners on base.

The Bobcats provided insurance in the top of the seventh, sparked by Yen's third hit of the game. Maher followed with another single, and both swiped bags to put runners in scoring position. A dropped fly ball in center allowed Yen to score before C Isabel Bettencourt's sacrifice fly plated Maher, making it 4-1.

Rankin slammed the door in the bottom of the seventh, stranding two more Bridgewater State runners to seal the hurler her sixth complete-game to start the season.

Maher and Yen each went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Bobcats' 11-hit effort, while 1B Sophie Garber added a pair of singles. 

GAME TWO

 A three-run rally in the fifth inning wasn't enough to overcome an early deficit as Bates softball team dropped a six-inning, 6-3 decision to Bridgewater State in Wednesday's nightcap.

After a scoreless first two innings, the Bears (7-5) broke through in the third with four runs, capitalizing on a pair of Bates defensive miscues and clutch RBI hits. The home team added two more in the fourth to build a 6-0 lead.

Bates (8-4) responded in the fifth, sparked by a single from Maher and a base hit from Anderson. LF Sienna Pietrasiewicz drove in the Bobcats' first run with an RBI single, and Garber followed with a two-run double to cut the deficit in half.

Despite putting runners on in the final two innings, the Bobcats couldn't push across any more runs against the Bears.

Bates totaled eight hits in the game, led by Pietrasiewicz and Yen, who each had a pair.

Haley Alden took the loss in the circle for the Bobcats, allowing four runs—three earned—over 2.1 innings. Olyvia Mendonca (2-1) earned the win for Bridgewater State, holding Bates to three runs over her five innings.

The garnet and white now prepares to open the NESCAC slate with a doubleheader scheduled for this Saturday at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. First pitch is set for noon.