WESTFIELD, Mass. - The sixth-seeded Worcester State University softball team upset third-seeded Westfield State 7-3 Wednesday afternoon in the opening round of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament.
With the win, Worcester State moves to 9-30 overall this season, and advances to the double-elimination round of the MASCAC Tournament. The Lancers will travel to second-seeded Framingham State tomorrow for a 4 p.m. first pitch. Westfield ends its season with a record of 12-25.
Worcester State took the lead right from the jump, scoring twice in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Junior Kaiulani Ennis (Swansea, Mass.) drove in classmate Samantha Stake (Worcester, Mass.) with an RBI double to put the Lancers on the board first, before pitcher Rachel Frisch (Worcester, Mass.) helped her own cause by roping an RBI single to push Worcester's lead to two.
The Lancers would add onto the lead in the top of the third, scoring three times to go ahead 5-0. After Katie Polselli (Charlton, Mass.) scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch, sophomore Sam Maglione (Lancaster, Mass.) recorded a key two-out, two-run single, scoring Frisch and senior Kristen Huston (Spencer, Mass.).
Westfield State got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring three times to claw back to within striking distance. Colleen Hughes opened the inning with a solo home run for the Owls, and later in the frame Kaitlynn Prophet drove in a pair on a two-out, two-run single to cut Worcester's advantage down to 5-3.
A pair of Lancer seniors teamed up for an important insurance run in the top of the fifth inning, as Worcester State took a 6-3 lead. Huston reached base on a single to center with one away in the inning, and advanced to second on a key stolen base. Two batters later, senior Monica Ferrazzani (North Reading, Mass.) brought her classmate home on a base hit to left. The Lancers would add one more insurance run in top of the seventh on an RBI groundout from Stake to secure the 7-3 victory.
Frisch went the distance in the circle for Worcester State to claim her sixth win of the season, allowing three earned on nine hits. Emily Arredondo took the loss for Westfield, allowing three earned on six hits in 2.2 innings.
Frisch and sophomore Sarah Fahey (Auburn, Mass.) each recorded three hits to lead Worcester State offensively. Every player in the starting lineup reached safely at least once in the contest, as the visitors outhit Westfield State 12-9.
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