WORCESTER -- The WPI softball team swept a doubleheader against Worcester State on Wednesday evening, playing at Rooftop Field with Worcester State as the home team because of weather conditions at the Lancers' home field. The Engineers won game one, 4-3 in extra innings, and took game two, 11-2, to move to 10-8, while Worcester State dips to 5-9.

Game 1: WPI 4, Worcester State 3 (8 inn.)

WPI rallied to tie the game in the top of the sixth and scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth to nab a 4-3 extra innings win in game one. 

Worcester State struck first, plating three runs off of three hits in the bottom of the third. Ally Tocman (Shrewsbury, MA) laid down a bunt single to open the inning and was sent home on a single from Emma Lanpher (Charlton, MA). Naraylee Baez (Northborough, MA) walked and came around to score on an Emily Bartlett (Lowell, MA) single, before Lanpher scored on a WPI error to put the Lancers up 3-0. 

WPI got a pair back in the top of the fourth, powered by a two-run homerun from Shaina Lazarus (Thousand Oaks, CA). Kelly Pritchard (Orange, CT) got the rally started with a one-out double, before Lazarus laced her second dinger of the season to left field to make it 3-2. 

The Engineers loaded the bases in the top of the fifth, but Worcester State's Bartlett worked out of the jam. Singles from Alex Sheehan (Marion, MA) and Sydney Russell (Arlington, VA) and a double from Stephanie Bishop (Milford, NH) loaded the bases before Bartlett got a strikeout, a fielders choice, and a foul out to end the frame. 

WPI finally tied the game in the top of the sixth. Walks to Jocelyn Diaz (Reedley, CA) and Kallie Case (Arlington, VA) and a bunt single from Sheehan loaded the bases with one out. A walk to Bishop sent pinch runner Amelia Montgomery (Acushnet, MA) home, before a fielder's choice and a strikeout limited the damage. 

Neither team managed a hit in the seventh inning, as the 3-3 game moved into the eighth. WPI plated a run on a bases loaded sacrifice fly from Bishop, scoring Alicia Salvalzo (Hudson, NH), who was placed on second to start the inning. That was the only run WPI would manage, but it was enough, as Katie Martin (Bedford, NH) worked around a Bartlett single in the bottom of the inning, getting the final two batters to pop out. 

Martin got the win, going the distance. She allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits with a season-high nine strikeouts. Molly Glynn (Abington, MA) started the game for Worcester State, going four innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Bartlett suffered the loss, tossing four, allowing two runs on three hits. 

Game 2: WPI 11, Worcester State 2

WPI wrapped up the sweep, banging out 11 runs on nine hits, taking advantage of seven Worcester State errors. 

The Engineers got the action started in the top of the first, plating four on a grand slam from Pritchard. Sheehan and Salvalzo singled while Lazarus worked a walk, setting up Pritchard for her first career homerun. 

The Lancers sent one across the plate in the bottom of the second, as a leadoff single from Rachel Sinclair (Westminster, MA) came around to score on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 3-1. 

The Engineers pushed the lead to 7-1 with three runs in the top of the third. WPI had just one hit in the frame, scoring its first two runs on a bases loaded walk and a Kallie Case (Arlington, VA) sac fly. Ambrosino tallied the only hit, an RBI single for the third run of the frame, putting WPI up by six. 

The Crimson and Gray made it 8-1 with a run manufactured by Russell in the top of the fourth. She led off the frame by reaching on an error and stole second and third before a groundout from Sheehan plated her for the eighth WPI run of the game. 

Worcester State made it 8-2 in the bottom of the sixth. Jacqui Schwalm (Billerica, MA) singled through the right side to start the inning, and she was sent to second on a sac bunt. After a groundout and a walk, Schwalm was driven home by an Abigail Koziol (Lunenburg, MA) single. 

WPI put the game away in the top of the seventh, scoring three more runs to push the advantage to nine runs. Pritchard led off with a double before Jocelyn Diaz (Reedley, CA) singled. A sac fly from Case scored the first run before Bishop added a single to score the second run of the frame. WPI then got its third run of the inning on Worcester State error to make it 11-2. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Lazarus struck out the side to seal the sweep for the Engineers. She finished with seven innings pitched, allowing two runs on three hits with seven strikeouts for her first career victory.

For Worcester State, Jen Thornburn (Groton, MA) suffered the loss, going three innings and allowing seven runs (four earned) on four hits. Sarah Gosselin (Charlton, MA) came on in relief, throwing four innings, allowing four runs (two earned) off of five hits. 

WPI begins NEWMAC play on Saturday, heading to Babson for a doubleheader beginning at 12pm. Worcester State takes on another local NEWMAC opponent on Friday, playing at Clark in a doubleheader beginning at 3pm.