WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester State University Lancers topped the Salem State University Vikings, 1-0, in the second round of MASCAC women's softball action on Thursday afternoon in Worcester, Ma.

THE BASICS:
Score: Worcester, 1 – Salem, 0
Records: Worcester 19-18 (12-3 MASCAC), Salem 10-26 (5-10 MASCAC)
Location: Rockwood Field, Worcester, MA

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Worcester's sophomore pitcher, Emily Bartlett (Lowell, MA) threw 11 strikeouts over 8 innings allowing just 1 hit to highlight a great defensive effort for the Lancers. Bartlett threw 76 strikes in the contest with 115 total pitches on 30 batter's faced.

Salem's pitcher, Emily Carter (Warwick, RI) pitched 7.1 innings for the Vikings allowing 5 hits and just 1-run on 29 batter's faced in the contest. Carter threw 41 strikes on the contest on 61 total pitches.

Salem's Dawn Eisnor (Medford, MA) got the first hit of the contest with a single to left field, in the top of the second inning however, Worcester's Bartlett took care of the next three batters with three consecutive strikeouts.

In the top of the 7^th inning the Vikings had a chance to make a run. With back-to-back Lancer errors, Salem's Isabella Perrotti (Winthrop, MA) and Gracie Hogan (Blackstone, MA) were on base with just one out. Bartlett struck out the fourth batter of the inning, Emily Carter and then Stephanie Grassi (Cambridge, MA) bunted towards Bartlett, making the throw to first basemen, Lauren Dube (Leominster, MA) to protect the scoreless game.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, junior Rachel Sinclair (Westminster, MA) singled to left center, but Salem came up with a big double play for two outs. Molly Glynn (Abington, MA) found her swing with a single to left field, but Lauren Dube flied out to right field to close out the seventh inning, 0-0.

In the bottom of the 8^th Lancer short stop, Jen Thorburn (Groton, MA) fielded a pop-up to short for the first out. Bartlett struck out Salem's Payton Jeffers (Holly Ridge, NC) for her 11^th strikeout of the game and 200^th career strikeout and Walker flied out to Jacqui Schwalm (Billerica, MA) in centerfield to close the first half of the inning.

Left fielder, Jackie Andry (Westford, MA) (1-for-2, 1-run) hit a big double to center field to start the bottom of the 8^th. Schwalm sacrified bunted to push Andry to third with one out for the Vikings and sophomore second basemen, Brynna Meeker (2-for-3, 1-RBI) singled to left center pushing Andry home to seal the 1-0 extra innings victory for the Lancers.

The #2 seeded Lancers will travel to #1 seeded Bridgewater State Friday, May 6^th to face the Bears at 5:00pm while the #6 seeded Vikings will travel to the #4 seeded Framingham State to face the Rams at 4:00pm on the same date.