Middletown, CT --- The Worcester State softball team has earned a #8 ranking in the latest New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Association (NEISCA) weekly coaches poll. The Lancers are off to a fast start with a 7-3 record from last week's trip to Fort Myers, Florida.
In the second NEISCA coach's poll of the season, Coast Guard (16-0) earned the top spot followed by Eastern Connecticut (6-0), Wellesley (4-2) and Williams (4-0).
While down in Florida, the Lancers defeated St. Joseph's of Maine (7-3), who was slotted seventh, as they lost to Amherst (6-4), who received the nod #9. MASCAC foe Westfield State (5-4) was ranked 10th.
The Blue and Gold are propelled by senior lefthander Michaella Mahoney (Shrewsbury, MA) who posted a 3-0 record with a team-leading 0.67 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 20 innings of work. Sophomore Hannah Everson (Methuen, MA) is also 2-1, fanning 23 in 19 innings.
WSU is also batting .300 as a team as second-year Kylene Pease (Ashland, MA) is off to a torrid start batting .515 (17-for-35) with nine runs and seven RBIs. Mahoney has a .381 average with nine RBIs as junior Erica Cordio (Leominster, MA) has a .313 clip with eight runs driven in. Second-year Aimee Lamoureux (E. Brookfield, MA) has knocked out two homers for the Lancers.
Worcester State, under the direction of third-year head coach Jen Kapenas, will travel to Chicopee and play Elms in a doubleheader starting at noon on Saturday.