WESTFIELD, Mass. - The Worcester State University softball team picked up its first win of the season on Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader against Westfield State in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference action at the Westfield Softball Field. The Lancers fell 4-3 in the first game of the afternoon, before winning game two 6-4.
With the split, the Lancers move to 1-15 on the season, and 1-1 in MASCAC play.
Game 1 - Westfield State 4, Worcester State 3
The Lancers squandered a late lead to drop its first MASCAC contest of the season by a final of 4-3.
Junior Kaiulani Ennis (Swansea, Mass.) got Worcester State on the board first in the top of the first inning, blasting her first long ball of the season over the left center field wall for a solo home run.
The 1-0 lead lasted until the bottom of the third inning, when Westfield State took its first lead of the afternoon on a two run double from Caitlin Hughes.
Junior Samantha Stake (Worcester, Mass.) had an RBI single in the top of the fifth and sophomore Sam Maglione (Lancaster, Mass.) in the top of the sixth, giving Worcester State the lead back at 3-2, but Westfield's Karly Mastello and Colleen Hughes recorded back-to-back RBI singles of their own in the bottom of the sixth, putting the Owls into the lead for good.
Worcester State pitcher Liv Larson (Marlborough, Mass.) went the distance in the loss, allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out three. Offensively, Ennis and Maglione each recorded a pair of hits and an RBI in the defeat.
Game 2 - Worcester State 6, Westfield State 4
Worcester State erased a three-run deficit in game two to pick up its first win of the 2019 season.
Westfield State put up a three-spot in the bottom of the first inning to jump out to an early advantage, but the Lancers refused to go down quietly.
Two runs came across the plate for the Lancers in the top of the fourth inning as senior Katie Polselli (Charlton, Mass.) reached on an error, cutting Westfield's lead to 3-2.
Worcester State evened the score in the top of the fifth inning, as Ennis drove home senior Haley Scola (Worcester, Mass.) on an RBI single to left field. An inning later, the Lancers took their first lead of the game as sophomore Ally Tocman (Shrewsbury, Mass.) scored Carly Zielinski (Monson, Mass.) on a base hit, putting Worcester State up 4-3.
An Ennis RBI groundout and Zielinski RBI fielder's choice in the top of the seventh provided Worcester State with some insurance, putting the visitors on top 6-3.
Scola came on for the save in seventh inning for Worcester State, and picked up her first save of the season to close the door. Westfield was able to get one run across in the inning, but win the bases loaded, Scola induced a popup to the catcher Maglione to end the game.
Freshman pitcher Molly Glynn (Abington, Mass.) was the winning pitcher on the day, throwing 6+ innings and allowing three earned runs on five hits. Scola's save was the first of her collegiate career, as she allowed no runs on just one hit in an inning pitched.
Junior Ashley Lynch (Shrewsbury, Mass.) was stellar at the plate in game two, going a perfect 4-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Ennis, Polselli, and Maglione all recorded a pair of hits for the Lancers as well in the win.
Worcester State will return to the field on Tuesday with a home doubleheader against Clark for its home opener. First pitch in game one is scheduled for 4 p.m.
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