Courtesy Westfield State Sports Information

Worcester State 7, Bridgewater State 0

WESTFIELD, Mass. Senior Michaella Mahoney (Shrewsbury, MA) tossed a six-hitter and slugged a three-run homer, and freshman Carolyn Hassett (Charlton, MA) was 3-for-3 with three RBI as second-seeded Worcester State cruised to a 7-0 triumph over fourth-seeded Bridgewater State in the winner’s bracket game of the MASCAC softball tournament on Saturday, May 7.

The Lancers (27-9) will play in Sunday’s championship game vs. No. 1 seed Westfield State, which pitched its way through the loser’s bracket with 1-0 and 2-0 victories over Salem and Bridgewater, respectively, on Saturday. The championship game is 12:00 Sunday at Westfield State with an if necessary game to immediately follow.

The Lancers, who are making their first-ever conference championship game appearance, lost to the Westfield, 3-0 and 10-1 during the regular season. But Worcester and Westfield shared the conference regular season championship with 12-2 records.

Mahoney (15-2) was solid as she struck out eight and walked just two batters in her seven innings of work. The shutout was her seventh of the season and 16th of her career.

Worcester State scored five times in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by Maloney’s towering three-run homer to straightaway centerfield, her seventh circuit shot this season. Junior Jaime Jacobs (Billerica, MA) followed with a sacrifice fly and Hassett had an RBI single.

The Lancers added to their lead in the third on a two-run triple by Hassett.

Bridgewater sophomore Meaghan Dunn (Colchester, CT) came into the game in the first inning in relief of senior Tracy Sanko (Windsor, CT). Dunn allowed two runs while scattering five hits.

Sanko (5-11) walked one and struck out no one while Dunn fanned a pair and issued no free passes.

The Bears threatened to break up the shutout bid in the fifth, sixth and seventh frames, but stranded four in scoring position. Hassett came though in the clutch for the Lancers in the sixth when she gunned down a runner for the final out. 

Hassett was Worcester State’s only multi-hitter out of the nine-hole, while sophomore Jackie Shaw (Brockton, MA) and classmateJackie Strecker (Waterford, CT)were both 2 for 3 for the Bears.

The Blue and Gold only out-hit Bridgewater State, 7-6.

Westfield State 2, Bridgewater State 0

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Freshman Kerry Alcott (Groton, Mass.) pitched a four-hitter and sophomore catcher Brittany Dussault cracked a two-run double to lead Westfield State to a 2-0 victory over Bridgewater State in a MASCAC softball tournament semifinals elimination game on Saturday, May 7.

No. 1 seed Westfield, 22-18, advances to the championship round where it hosts No. 2 seed Worcester State, which is undefeated in the double elimination tournament. Westfield dropped a first round game to Bridgewater, 7-2, on Thursday and would need two victories to clinch its first MASCAC Tournament championship.

The Worcester-Westfield championship game is at 12:00 p.m. Sunday at Westfield, with an if necessary game to immediately follow if Westfield wins.

Alcott continued her stellar late-season pitching, improving her record to 6-5. She did not issue a walk and struck out four, including two seventh-inning Ks to complete the shutout.

The Bears (19-22) only had a runner reach third base in the sixth inning. But with runners at second and third Alcott got the dangerous Penny King (Hanover) to fly out to end the inning.

Westfield scored in the third inning. Lisa Policelli (Tewksbury) led off with a single and Kerin DeGirolamo (North Attleboro) drew a two-out walk. Dussault then doubled to left-center, driving in two runs for the game-winning hit.

Westfield collected seven hits off losing pitcher Meghan Dunn (Colchester, Conn.), who walked two and whiffed two.

Owl senior first baseman Cassy Jouannet (Conway) was the only player with more than one hit, going 2-3, and senior Alicia Gardner (Athol) smacked a triple.

Westfield State 1, Salem State 0

WESTFIELD, Mass.  – Senior third baseman Alicia Gardner (Athol) doubled to break up a no-hitter with one out in the seventh inning and scored from second base on a two-out infield error to lift Westfield State University to a 1-0 victory over Salem State University in the MASCAC softball tournament semifinals loser’s bracket game on Saturday, May 7.

Westfield, 21-18, will play the loser of the winner’s bracket game between Bridgewater State and Worcester State at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. Salem finished its season with a fine 23-19 record including three tough setbacks to Westfield.

Salem junior pitcher Katelynn Fanning (East Boston) was cruising with a no-hitter when Gardner swatted an opposite field, one-out double that dropped in front of the Salem leftfielder on the foul line.

Fanning retired the next batter on a strikeout then Kerin DeGirolamo (North Attleboro) hit a humpback liner just to the left of second base. Salem shortstop Michelle Grifoni (Peabody) bobbled the spinning ball several times allowing DeGirolamo to reach safely on the infield error. Gardner, meanwhile, was running on the play and easily scored the game-winning run from second base.

Fanning suffered the tough mound setback, striking out six and walking one. She had a perfect game until two outs in the bottom of the fourth when Gardner walked on a 3-2 pitch. Westfield freshman shortstop Bri Eichstaedt (Southampton) then hit a long fly ball to the right-center gap that was tracked down by the rightfielder to end the inning.

Winning pitcher Madeline Tomich allowed five hits and three walks and struck out three at crucial times in raising her record to 15-5. Tomich pitched out of jams in the first three innings; the Vikings stranded nine baserunners.

Salem had runners and second and third with one out in the first when Tomich recorded two strikeouts.  In the second, Tomich issued all three of her walks to loaded the bases but got out of the jam with a groundout. In the third inning, Salem’s Gabbie Vitalie (Danvers) doubled with one out but Tomich retired the next two batters on a popup and strikeout.

Grifoni was the only player with multiple hits; she was 2 for 4 with a double.