Worcester, Mass. - Worcester State Softball returned home for a doubleheader against Gordon College Tuesday afternoon. The Lancers came back in game two to split the series with the Scots.
FINAL SCORES:
Game 1: Worcester St 2, Gordon 4
Game 2: Worcester St 4, Gordon 2
Junior Emily Bartlett (Lowell, Mass.) started on the mound for Worcester, pitching through the fifth inning before being relieved by sophomore Sarah Gosselin (Charlton, Mass.). Bartlett finished with 4 strikeouts and allowed one run.
The Scots got themselves on the board to begin scoring in Game 1 in the top of the second inning on an error at first base leading Gordon's Abby Murray to advance to second and bringing Mara Little to home plate.
Gosselin came on for Bartlett at the top of the 5th inning with runners on 1st and second base. After striking out Little, Gordon's Hannah Bouvier singled to 1st while Jayden Johnson advanced to third base, putting Ami Rivera in scoring position to put the Scots up 2-0. Gordon wouldn't stop there, as a single from Murray brings Bouvier to second and sends Johnson home, extending their lead to 3-0. Another Gordon single, hit by Gina Terrazzano, brings Murray to second while Bouvier puts the Scots up 4-0, which is where the score would stand heading into the seventh inning.
The bottom of the seventh inning saw senior Rachel Sinclair (Westminster, Mass.) hit a single, who was then replaced by senior Naraylee Baez (Northborough, Mass.) as a pinch runner. Sophomore Emma Lanpher (Charlton, Mass.) then doubled, putting Baez in scoring position when Bartlett singled to 1st, giving Worcester their first run of the game. First-year Jayden Kelly (Tyngsboro, Mass.) hit a sacrifice fly out to the infield, sending Bartlett to second and Lanpher home to bring the score to 4-2 in favor of Gordon. A ground out would end the comeback chances for the Lancers in game one. On the mound for Gordon was Brooke Husson, who pitched the entire inning, recording two strikeouts and allowing two runs.
Game 2 started off with a bang for the Lancers with a single from first-year Amanda Adamuska (Dudley, Mass.), followed by singles from senior Jacqui Shwalm (Billerica, Mass.) & first-year Emma Lapoint (Westfield, Mass.) to load the bases, the Blue & Gold were the first to score in the game on an error which sent Lanpher to first and Adamuska to home plate. Another Gordon error resulted in Bartlett reaching first and Lapoint heading home to put the Lancers up 2-0. This inning's scoring would finish with a single from first-year Bella Gasbarro(Leominster, Mass.) that sent Lanpher home to extend their lead to 3-0.
The Lancers would get on the board again in the bottom third on a passed ball that sent Adamuska home to put them up 4-0, heading into the top of the 4th inning.
The game would remain at four-nothing in favor of Worcester until the top of the sixth inning, on a single and an RBI from Gordon's Emily Graham that sent Ami Rivera home to get the Scots in the board, followed by a triple from Mara Little which resulted in Graham heading home to put the score at 4-2 but they Fighting Scots would fail to collect any additional runs and the second game of the night would be claimed by the Lancers.
Senior Jen Thorburn (Groton, Mass.) was on the mound for the entire game, recording two strikeouts and allowing tw0 runs. For Gordon, Mara Little and Emily Graham split time on the mound, with Little recording one strikeout and allowing four runs and Graham recording one strikeout as well.
This brings the Lancers to 21-15 on the season, while Gordon goes to 17-19.
UP NEXT: The Blue & Gold host Bridgewater for two games this Saturday afternoon in MASCAC action, with first pitch for game 1 slated for 12pm.
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