Cote Picks Up 100th Win as Lancers Sweep Buccs; Softball Earns MASCAC Regular Season Title

Cote Picks Up 100th Win as Lancers Sweep Buccs; Softball Earns MASCAC Regular Season Title

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – Worcester State University's softball head coach Michelle Cote picked up her 100th career win as the Lancers defeated the Buccaneers of Massachusetts Maritime by scores of 15-0 and 10-2 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) regular season finale. With the sweep, Worcester State earns the MASCAC Regular Season Title and will earn the No. 1 seed in the post-season tournament which will begin next week.

 

THE BASICS

April 28, 2018

Rollins Field

Records: Worcester State (23-9, 12-2 MASCAC) | Mass. Maritime (3-25, 1-13 MASCAC)

 

GAME ONE: Worcester State 15, Mass. Maritime 0 – 5 inn.

Cote earned her 100th career win in game one as the Lancers shutout Massachusetts Maritime in a five inning game. In five years coached, she now holds a 101-84-1 (.546) record after today's sweep.

 

Worcester State put up two runs in the top of the first on RBI singles from Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.) and Becky Brandeberry (Phillipston, Mass.).

 

The Lancers amassed seven runs on eight hits in the second inning to bring the score to 9-0. The Lancers saw singles from Samantha Stake (Worcester, Mass.), Kaiulani Ennis (Swansea, Mass.), Ashley Lynch (Shrewsbury, Mass.), Despres, Brandeberry and doubles from Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.), Kaci Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Katie Polselli (Charlton, Mass.) in the inning.

 

Worcester State tacked on two more runs in the top of the third, and plated four more in the top of the fourth on RBI from Alyssa Monti (Marlborough, Mass.), Despres, Smith-Porter, and Brandeberry.

 

Lancers senior pitcher, Smith-Porter, pitched a no-hitter until the bottom of the fifth inning when Mass. Maritime's Jill Corazzini (Paxton, Mass.) singled with one out on the board. Though, the Lancers retired the side with a groundout and a Smith-Porter strikeout.

 

  • Worcester State scored their 15 runs on a season-high 19 hits and four Buccaneer errors.
  • Despres batted 4-for-4 with three run scored and three RBI.
  • Panarelli batted 3-for-4 with one run scored and three RBI.
  • Ennis, Smith-Porter, and Brandeberry each had two hits in the win.
  • Smith-Porter earned the win on the mound as she pitched a one-hitter in five innings. She struck out four batters at the plate.
  • Mass. Maritime's Corazzini had the lone hit for the Buccs.
  • Bucanneers' pitcher Jenna Nalette (Goffstown, N.H.) took the loss in five innings pitched. She allowed 15 runs (three unearned) on 19 hits. She struck out one batter of 37 batters faced.

 

GAME TWO: Worcester State 10, Mass. Maritime 2 – 6 inn.

Worcester State completed the sweep with a 10-2 game-two win.

 

The Lancers took a 2-0 lead after the first inning as Smith-Porter hit home two runs on a single to centerfield. The Lancers doubled their lead heading into the bottom of the third, but Mass. Maritime cutthe 4-0 lead in half in the reverse side of the inning when Madison Ovadek (Greenland, N.H.) sent two runs in on a single.

 

The Lancers slid away from the Buccs in the top of the fourth when they scored five runs on six hits. Another run in the top of the sixth inning sealed the six-inning win for the Blue and Gold, as they put their lead at eight (10-2).

 

  • Lynch, Despres and Smith-Porter each batted 3-for-4 in game two.
  • Smith-Porter led the team with three RBI.
  • Ennis, Lynch, Despres, Smith-Porter and Haley Scola (Worcester, Mass.) each had doubles in the book.
  • Lynch and Stake each had a stolen base on the day.
  • Mass. Maritime was allotted five hits on the day. They all were scattered amongst five batters.
  • Madison Coughlin (Monroe, Conn.) hit a triple for the Buccs.
  • Worcester State's Rachel Frisch (Worcester, Mass.) and Carly Zielinski (Monson, Mass.) each saw three innings in the pitching circle, while Melissa Cochrane (Walpole, Mass.) was tabbed the loss for Mass. Maritime.

 

UP NEXT

The Lancers earn the No. 1 seed in the MASCAC tournament and will receive a first round bye. Worcester State will begin tournament play on Friday (May 4) at Rockwood Park. The opponent and time of the game are to be determined.  

 

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