North Myrtle Beach, SC- The Worcester State University softball team continued its torrid spring trip with two wins today in the Fast Pitch Dream Tournament. Game 1 versus Muhlenberg saw a 7-5, 8-inning victory then a 7-0 shutout over Franciscan in Game 2. The Lancers are now 5-1 on the season and ride a 4-game winning streak.
The Lancers were the first to bat, were they quickly managed to get two on base after a walk and single, when junior Lauren Dube (Leominster, MA) stepped up to plate with one out and sent a ball deep to left field bringing home sophomore Emma Lanpher (Charlton, MA) for the first run of the day. Senior Rachel Sinclair (Westminster, MA) then stepped up and sent a drive-up center to bring home first year Morgan Keefe (Dracut, MA) to quickly make it a 2-0 game. In the bottom of the first, the Lancers took some time getting settled behind the plate as multiple passed balls allowed Muhlenberg to grab back a run. The second inning saw a chance for both teams with runners on base, but each pitcher managed to work there way out safely to keep the score 2-1. Worcester found themselves in a tight spot in the bottom of the third with no outs and a runner on third. Muhlenberg capitalized on a stolen base sequence to bring a runner home and advance another to third to tie the game up at three. A wild pitch brought home the leading run, but catcher first year Ava Bogosian (Worcester, MA) caught Muhlenberg's Wineberg stealing for the first out of the inning. Bogosian followed that up with out number two on a foul tipped ball by Zach. Senior Jacqui Schwalm (Billerica, MA) wrapped up the inning with a catch on a fly out to left field leaving the Lancers down only 3-2 heading into the fourth.
The bottom of the fourth saw Worcester again in a tight spot, with two on and a single out, junior Emily Bartlett (Lowell, MA) and the defense worked to grab the second out, but the bases were soon loaded with two outs on the board. Sophomore Sarah Gosselin (Charlton, MA) stepped in, to grab the final out of the inning and preserve the single lead difference. A tossed ball closed out the pitch count on Muhlenberg's Cicchetti to send her to first and a run in. A third strike swing and tag by Gosselin, wrapped up the fourth with only slight damage to bring Worcester into the 5th inning only needing to make up 2-runs. Lanpher attempted to begin the rally in the fifth with a single, a sacrifice bunt by Keefe advanced her to second, but Worcester State was unable to send her home. Gosselin made quick work out of the bottom half of the fifth to quickly bring the Lancers back up to bat.
Sinclair, on just her second pitch, sent the ball into the left center field gap for a double, which brought the potential tying run to the plate. An error by the short stop saw first year Bailey Tammaro (Fitchburg, MA) get to first and a drive sacrifice hit by Bogosian put runners on second and third. Sophomore Abigail Koziol (Lunenburg, MA) stepped to plate and sent the first pitch careening deep past the second base line for a double that saw first year Carisa Andrews (Medford, MA), who came in as a pinch runner for Sinclair, and Tammaro across the plate to bring the game even at 4. A hit by the pitcher sent Lanpher to first while a play at the plate resulted in a catcher error and a run for senior Naraylee Baez (Northborough, MA), who stepped in to run for Koziol, off the resulting error, Lanpher was able to advance to second and keep a runner in scoring position with two outs in the inning. The Lancers were unable to bring her home but did grab the lead at 5-4. Muhlenberg managed to tie it up in the bottom of the inning with some strategic base work, but Gosselin pitched herself perfectly out of the bind catching the final batter swinging at air.
The seventh inning saw each team putting everything on the line in a bid to grab the win. After a quick first out, Sinclair sent a ball past third and short stop for a single and a much needed runner on base. Sinclair and Tammaro swapped spots when her single sent Sinclair out at second. An error by Muhlenberg's short stop moved Tammaro to second while Bogosian found herself safely on first. A Gosselin walk added base runners, with two outs, as Baez stepped up to the plate, but a blooper to the pitcher saw Worcester State come out of the seventh without a run. In the bottom of the seventh, with two outs, Muhlenberg's Zack lined a double down the third base line to put the winning run-on base, but Gosselin got the next batter out with three straight strikes.
The eighth inning saw Worcester State step up to wrap it up in their first extra innings game of the season. With Baez starting on 2nd, the Lancers lit up the eight-inning scoring two runs. Baez scored on a fielder's choice, and reigning MASCAC Player of the Weekfirst year Bella Gasbarro (Leominster, MA) knocked in an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Lanpher. Gosselin nailed the door shut in the bottom half of the inning recording a sac bunt and two infield pop-ups.
In the game Team WSU laced out 9 hits with two-each from Lanpher (2 runs) and Dube. Sinclair was on fire with 3 hits. Koziol had a big 2-run single in the top of the sixth inning. The Lady Lancers only struck out once in the game and had stellar infield defense from shortstop Lanpher (3 assists) and third baseman Sinclair (4 assists). Bartlett went 3.2 innings on the mound giving up only 2 hits and 2 earned runs with 2 strikeouts, but walked 6 batters. Gosselin got the win in relief going 4.1 innings giving up only 1 hit, 1 earned run, and punched out 2 batters.
In game two of the day a long game to start the morning did nothing to slow Worcester State down, scoring five run in the opening inning of action and shutting out Franciscan in the opening five at bats. The Lancers had early runs from Lanpher, Keefe, Koziol, first year Jayden Kelly (Tyngsboro, MA) and first year Amanda Adamuska (Dudley, MA) to get game two scoring action started. The Lancers made a bid for additional runs in the third inning, but some strong defense plays robbed each hitter of a chance on base. The bottom o the fifth saw the next round of scoring with Jayden Kelly bringing home Adamuska off a triple for run number six of the game. Another run was added in the sixth when Andrews raced out a double from Lanpher to close out the game at 7-0.
Gosselin (3-0) went the distance yielding only 4 hits and struck out 7 batters.
WSU again struck for 9 safe knocks, and was helped by 5 Franciscan errors. Kelly had 2 hits and 2 RBI while teammate Adamuska also chipped in with a pair. The team only recorded 1 strikeout as an offense, and 2 total in 24 innings of softball today. All told they have put up 47 runs in 6 games, and are hitting .375 as a team.
WSU returns to the diamond on March 15 with games versus Keene State and Mt. Aloysius, and finish its trip on 3/17 against Castleton State and Albertus Magnus.