Providence, RI --- Quality relief pitching from senior Amanda Berard (Swansea, MA), coupled with clutch hitting from senior Chelsi Panarelli (Shrewsbury, MA) and junior Jaci Lata (Lisbon, NH), powered Rhode Island College to a pair of one-run victories in a nail-biting doubleheader sweep (3-2, 2-1) of Worcester State at the Dayna A. Bazar Softball Complex on Tuesday afternoon.
With the victories, the Anchorwomen (8-3) have won their last eight games. RIC has quickly transformed what was once a 0-3 start into an 8-3 month of March.
The Anchorwomen leaned on solid relief from Berard in both games, logging three innings for the save in game one, and two more in the nightcap for another save (3). In sum, Berard worked five innings, allowing just one run, which was earned, on four hits. The righty walked two and struck out three.
In the first game, the Anchorwomen benefited from alert play in a peculiar situation to take an early lead. With the game scoreless in the bottom of the third, Lancer (9-5) senior pitcher Michaella Mahoney (Shrewsbury, MA) quickly faded after recording the first two outs. With a runner at second, Mahoney walked back-to-back batters on the minimum eight pitches to load the bases, and then ran a 3-0 count to Panarelli.
Mahoney's next pitch appeared to be a ball and so the runners moved along the base paths as though to walk in a run, but the umpire at the plate called a strike and clearly held his position to let the field know what his call was and confusion ensued. Junior catcher Ashley Howe (Peperell, MA) opted to throw to second, where the shifting baserunners moved up a base as no tags were ever applied. As a result a rare triple-steal occured for the Anchorwomen's first run of the game.
Moments after the perplexing play occured, Panarelli, who was still at the plate with a 3-1 count, promptly deposited the first pitch she saw it into center field for the game's decisive two-RBI single staking RIC to a 3-0 lead
The Lancers mustered single runs in each of the subsequent innings, keyed by triples each time. Sophomore Alex Kerr (Franklin, MA) crushed an RBI triple to left field off of Johnson in the fourth and junior Jaime Jacobs (Billerica, MA) greeted Berard with a three-base smash just inside the first base bag to the right field wall to setup Worcester States ultimate tally.
On the mound, Johnson collected the victory (4-2) in four innings of work. She allowed one earned run on two hits, striking out five and walking two. Mahoney (4-1) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on five hits.
The Anchorwomen struck first in the nightcap, getting on the board in the bottom of the first with a single run. Senior Kayla Jandreau (Plainville, CT) led off with a single and quickly took second on a passed ball. After sister sophomore Marisa Jandreau (Plainville, CT) singled to advance Kayla to third, senior Donielle Mattoon (Coventry, RI) delivered an RBI single, but was thrown out at second, halting the rally.
Worcester State quickly answered in the top of the second, as Kerr came through with a clutch two-out double to deep center to score the tying run from first.
In the bottom of the second, sophomore outfielder Kristina Gingell (Pascoag, RI) led off with a single. Freshman outfielder Stacy Pokora (Wilton, CT) immediately followed with a single, advancing Gingell to third, where she later remained with two outs. Jandreau was finally lifted before her plate appearance in favor of Lata, who delivered a clutch, pinch-hit double, which broke the tie and proved to be the game-winning hit.
The Lancers mustered just two hits the rest of the way. RIC starter junior Kyla Puccini (North Dighton, MA) earned the win (1-1) in five innings of work. She held Worcester's lineup to one earned run on three hits, fanning four and walking two.
Panarelli went 2-for-5 with two RBI on the day for the hosts. Kerr finished the day 2-for-6, with both hits for a single RBI apiece for the Blue and Gold.
WSU freshman Kelly Winter (Attleboro, MA) took the loss (0-2) in game two, allowing two runs on six hits in two innings of work.
Sophomore Hannah Everson (Methuen, MA) impressed as she came into the game in the third and tossed four frames of two-hit relief. Everson, who fanned eight in her sixth apperance of the season, matched the efforts of Berard to keep the Lancers in the contest.
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will play a doubleheader at home against Wheaton at 4 PM on Thursday. Worcester State entertains Westfield State in their MASCAC opener with the first game of their twinbill starting at noon.
Release Courtesy of Rhode Island College Sports Information