Worcester State 6, Westfield State 4

Worcester State 4, Westfield State 3

Game 1 --- Box Score

Game 2 --- Box Score

Westfield, MA --- Junior Michaella Mahoney (Shrewsbury, MA) was the winning pitcher in both games and drove in four runs, including a dramatic two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning of game two, to lead Worcester State to a 6-4, 4-3 doubleheader sweep over Westfield State in MASCAC softball action this afternoon.

The Lancers improved to 4-0 in the MASCAC and 11-9 overall. Worcester already has surpassed its win total from last season when they went 11-21-1. Westfield had its nine-game winning streak snapped and is 14-6 and 2-2.

In the second game, Worcester State trailed 3-1 when it pushed across a run in the sixth on two fielding errors and two sacrifice bunts.

In the top of the seventh, Mahoney gave the Lancers the lead when she hit a two-out, two-strike pitch over the center field fence for her two-run homer.

Mahoney earned her second pitching victory of the day when she entered the game in the third inning to silence a major Westfield scoring threat; the Owls scored twice in the inning to take a 3-1 lead. Mahoney hurled the final four and two-thirds innings, allowing three hits, no walks and striking out two.

Westfield out-hit Worcester, 11-6, but the Owls stranded 10 base runners. Sophomore Kerin DeGirolamo (North Attleboro, MA) was 3 for 4 and Lisa Policelli (Tewksbury, MA) and Alex Thompson (Amherst, MA) junior Kristyn Carroll (Brockton, MA) each had RBI hits. Third-year Alicia Gardner (Athold, MA) and Kim Brennan were both 2 for 4.

Worcester sophomore Erica Cordio (Leominster, MA) was 2 for 4 with a double and Mahoney was 2 for 3 with her big two-run homer.

Westfield sophomore Madelaine Tomich (Alford, MA) suffered her first loss of the season in nine decisions. She allowed two earned runs, walked two, and fanned three.

In the opener, Worcester jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fifth with some timely hitting. In the third, Cordio and sophomore Jamie Jacobs (Billerica, MA) both walked and Mahoney cracked a two-out, two-run double to left field.

The Lancers scored two more in the fifth on a two-run triple by freshman Alex Kerr (Franklin, MA) with two outs.

Westfield scored in the fifth on Brennan’s two-run single and in the sixth on a two RBI double by Policelli.

Worcester scored the decisive two runs in the sixth and both were unearned on a two-out throwing error.

First-year Kate Souder (Milford, MA) led the Lancers’ eight-hit attack, going 3 for 4. Brennan was 3 for 4 with two RBI for the Owls.

Mahoney went the distance for the mound victory; she allowed six hits and two walks and fanned four. Losing pitcher Ashytny Welcome (Northfield, MA) suffered the loss as she struck out 10, but gave up eight hits and five walks.

Worcester State will take on city rival WPI in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday at 3 PM while Westfield State takes a break until they return to action on Thursday in a twinbill against Nichols starting at 3:30.

Major Portions of Release Courtesy of Westfield State Sports Information