MCLA Claims 2015 MASCAC Softball Tournament Championship

Junior Rachel Quackenbush blasted a two-run homer and tossed a four-hitter with 10 strikeouts to help pace second-seeded MCLA to a 6-0 triumph over #4 Salem State in the MASCAC Softball Tournament Championship this afternoon at Rockwood Park.

MCLA Claims 2015 MASCAC Softball Tournament Championship
May 3, 2015
Worcester, MA --- Junior Rachel Quackenbush (Hoosick Falls, NY) blasted a two-run homer and tossed a four-hitter with 10 strikeouts to help pace second-seeded MCLA to a 6-0 triumph over #4 Salem State in the MASCAC Softball Tournament Championship this afternoon at Rockwood Park.
 
In the victory, the Trailblazers (15-20) have earned the conference's automatic bid to next week's NCAA Division III Tournament. The pairings will be announced on Monday at 10 AM. Salem State sees their season come to an end at 22-17.
 
Quackenbush was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament for her remarkable accomplishments en-route to MCLA's first-ever crown.
 
It was with one swing of the bat that Quackenbush put the Trailblazers up, 2-0 in the bottom of the first with her fourth round tripper of the campaign to the deep part of center field.
 
With the bases juiced and two outs in the second, Quackenbush sent a fly ball to the left fielder, but she misplayed it and three runs came home on the play for the quick 5-0 advantage.
 
Salem State had their chances in the middle innings against a tiring Quackenbush who had hurled 15 innings two days before and six frames of relief in the semifinal round in an extra-inning victory against top-seeded Worcester State.
 
After sophomore Katelyn Doherty (Tewksbury, MA) and freshman Marissa Sanchez (Framingham, MA) both singled, Quackenbush issued a walk to load the bases with one out. Following a strikeout to the third batter in the order, the Vikings nearly broke the shutout bid on a third swinging strike that got by the catcher.
 
However, as Doherty charged towards the plate, MCLA junior Jennifer Sicinski (Shelton, CT) corralled the loose ball and tagged home for the inning ending out.
 
The Trailblazers tacked on one more run in the fifth on an RBI double by junior Sierra Bailey (Hoosick Falls, NY) for the 6-0 margin.
 
Quackenbush (10-8) permitted one hit over her final two innings of work and she spun a double play to end the game to seal up the win. 
Freshman Meghan Black (Winchendon, MA) absorbed the loss for Salem State. Black (8-7) went 4 1/3 innings allowing six runs (three earned) on eight hits and she rang up one batter on strikes. Sophomore Francesca Perreault (Everett, MA) finished the game for the Vikings and gave them a chance to rally at the end with 1 2/3 scoreless frames. 
 
MCLA outhit their opponents 10-4 as junior Michaela DiNicola (Lanesboro, MA), sophomore Alexandra Romano (Peabody, MA) and junior Angelica Perfido (Whately, MA) all recorded a pair of base-knocks each.
 
Doherty and Sanchez were the only batters for Salem State to reach base on hits as they each tallied two apiece.
 
All told over the duration of the tournament, Quackenbush posted a 3-0 record and a 0.00 earned run average to go with 29 punch outs over 28.1 innings of work while holding opponents to a .153 batting average. She faced 98 batters without yielding an extra-base hit. 



Courtesy of Worcester State Sports Information