Worcester State Knocks Husson Out Of NCAA Softball Providence Regional, Faces Coast Guard Saturday
Worcester State notched its first-ever victory in NCAA Softball championships play on Friday afternoon, as the Lancers posted a 10-2 triumph over Husson in an elimination round contest in the Providence Regional being hosted by Rhode Island College
Courtesy Rhode Island College & Worcester State Sports Information
Providence, RI --- Worcester State defeated Husson, 10-2, in six innings, in the losers bracket game five at the Providence Regional of the 2011 NCAA Div. III Softball Championship played at Rhode Island College's Dayna A. Bazar Softball Complex.
In the triumph, the Blue and Gold
earned their first-ever NCAA Tournament win in four attempts. WSU
lost yesterday and they were defeated twice in a best-of-three
series against Eastern Connecticut in their only other tournament
appearance in 1987.
The Lancers (29-10) will play nationally ranked Coast Guard in an
elimination game on Saturday at 12 PM. Husson (25-18), which lost
yesterday to Eastern Connecticut, 7-0, is ousted from the
tournament and completes its season.
Worcester State sophomore Hannah Everson (Methuen,
MA) earned the win to improve her record to 10-3 as she allowed two
runs on eight hits, while striking out three. It was Everson's
first apperance in the circle since April 28 when she earned the
win in relief in a 8-3 victory over Anna Maria.
Junior Ashley Howe
(Winchendon, MA) also went 3-for-4 with a run scored, three RBI and
two doubles.
Husson struck first in the top of the second inning as sophomore
Lona Sargent (Sullivan, ME) reached on an infield single to
shortstop and promptly stole second. With one down, freshman Kelly
Naegelin (Cohasset, MA) lined a hard shot to third base for another
infield single and Sargent moved up to third.
Sophomore Kara Poirier (Berlin, NH)
laid down a squeeze bunt in front of the plate that brought in
Sargent to put the Eagles up, 1-0. Everson settled down to get a
pair of pop outs to end the threat.
Worcester State stormed right back with seven runs in the third to
put the game away.
Senior Michaella
Mahoney (Shrewsbury, MA) led off with a double on a deep
drive to the right center field wall. Everson hit a bloop fly that
landed behind third base in front of the oncoming left fielder to
put runners on first and second.
Sophomore Alex Kerr (Franklin, MA) cleared the
bases and gave WSU the lead, 2-1, with a two-run double to the gap
in right center. After Husson sophomore Kody Lyon (Dalton, NH)
forced a flyout, the Lancers were able to add to their lead on a
strange play. Junior Jaime Jacobs
(Billerica, MA) laid down a sacrifice bunt and was thrown out at
first. While running through the bag, Jacobs collided with Husson
junior Amanda Gifford (Lee, ME), which allowed Kerr to score while
both players were on the ground.
After two consecutive singles, Howe cleared the bases with a
two-run double to left center field and chased Lyon from the game.
Freshman Rebecca McCarty (Skowhegan, ME) came in, but the Lancers
continued to tack on runs. Howe eventually scored on a wild pitch
and Mahoney ended the outburst with an RBI single. All in all, WSU
plated seven runs on seven hits in the pivotal frame.
Worcester State added to its advantage in the fourth.
Freshman Carolyn Hassett (Charlton, MA)
reached on a leadoff single to second base, and after a flyout,
Howe crushed a double to left center field to make the score,
8-1.
The Eagles put one back on the board in the fifth when sophomore
Courtney Hill (Calais, ME) reached on a bunt single, stole second
and scored on senior Dottie Cameron's (South Plainfield, NJ) single
to left field.
Lancers junior Erica Cordio (Leominster, MA)
smacked an RBI single and then scored on an error after a Howe
single to end the game in the sixth.
Cordio went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Mahoney
chipped in with a 3-for-3 performance. Cameron went 2-for-3 with a
double and an RBI for the Eagles.
Lyon was dealt loss as her record drops to 11-11 overall.