#4 Framingham State 9, #3 Worcester State 8
Westfield, MA --- Sophomore classmates Christy Ulak (Rehoboth, MA) and Katie Donovan (Holden, MA) each smashed two-run homers in a seven-run uprising in the sixth inning to help lift #4 Framingham State over third-seeded Worcester State, 9-8, in the losers bracket of the MASCAC Softball tournament this afternoon at Westfield’s Alumni Field.
The Rams (17-21) will play #2 Salem State in the final game of the semifinals to determine who top-seeded Westfield State will face in tomorrow's championship. The Owls defeated the Vikings, 4-1, in the winners bracket game.
The Lancers (19-17) await word on a possible ECAC bid on selection Monday.
Trailing 6-2 entering the top of the sixth, junior Michaella Mahoney (Shrewsbury, MA) fanned the first batter she faced in the frame, but then soon gave up the first homer to Donovan, following a walk. Third-year Kelly Reardon (Groveland, MA) tripled to center before Mahoney struck out the number nine hitter to put two outs on the board, but Mahoney would have trouble retiring the final batter.
Senior Megan Dumas (Holden, MA) singled to drive in Reardon and then she moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Junior Kasey Phipps (Westford, MA) plated Dumas for the go ahead run to set the stage for Donovan’s home run off of sophomore reliever Marcy Rumrill (Orange, MA).
The Rams would score a key insurance run before the inning would be over as Taylor Ezold (Westfield, MA) followed the homer with a double. On the next play, Ezold reached third on a wild throw on a ground ball from the pitcher that went by first base and then she came around to score as the first baseman’s toss to home was too high to be handled by the catcher. Rumrill though would end the seventh with a punch out.
Worcester State would get back to within a run of the lead in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by sophomore Erica Cordio (Leominster, MA) and an RBI double by classmate Jamie Jacobs (Billerica, MA). But, the Lancers would leave the tying and go-ahead runs stranded as second-year Alysia Morrissette (Ware, MA) induced a ground-out to end the inning.
After the Rams failed to score in the top of the seventh with a scoreless inning by freshman Melissa Beaudry (Worcester, MA), Morrissette came back out into the circle to hurl a perfect frame to bounce WSC from the tournament.
The Blue and Gold went up 2-0 early on in the contest as they took advantage of a pair of walks and a wild pitch when junior Kaitlyn Laflash (Northbridge, MA) drove in a pair.
Framingham State eventually responded in the top of the fourth as third-year Andrea DiTerlizzi (Shrewsbury, MA) tallied a run-producing double and Donovan tacked on an RBI single.
The Lancers used a four-run bottom of the fourth to go up 6-2 as they were highlighted by a plated run by sophomore Ashley Howe (Winchendon, MA) and a three-run homer by Cordio.
Mahoney (13-10) hurled 5 2/3 innings allowing seven earned runs on 11 hits while she walked and struck out a pair of batters.
Morrissette (9-13) went the distance as she yielded eight runs (five earned) on nine hits as she walked three and fanned a pair.
The Rams out hit Worcester State 14-9 as both squads made a combined seven miscues.
Donovan went 3-for-4 with a trio of plated runs while Dumas, Phipps and DiTerlizzi each notched a pair of hits for Framingham State. Cordio and Jacobs each went 2-for-3 as Cordio finished the day with three runs and four RBIs.