MASCAC Softball Tournament Bracket

Worcester, MA --- Sophomore Aimee Lamoureux (E. Brookfield, MA) went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored in the first game while sophomore Melissa Beaudry (Worcester, MA/St. Peter-Marian) and freshman Kelly Winter (Attleboro, MA) combined on a two-hitter in the nightcap to help Worcester State defeat Mass Maritime twice in five innings, 10-1 and 18-0, in MASCAC softball action this afternoon.

With the two victories this afternoon, the Lancers improve their record to 25-9 and 12-2 in MASCAC play. The Buccaneers see their season come to a close at 1-23 (0-14 MASCAC).

With a sweep of Fitchburg State earlier today, Worcester State and Westfield State tie for the regular season league title as co-league champions with identical conference records. The Blue and Gold also equal the 25-9 school mark set in 1990.

The Lancers, who clinch the number two-seed in next week's conference tournament, will play an opponent to be determined on Thursday at home at Rockwood Park.

In the opener, Worcester State started off the game with the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as senior starting pitcher Michaella Mahoney (Shrewsbury, MA) drove in the run with a sacrifice fly.

After Mahoney set down six of her first eight batters that she would see, freshman Crystal Sherman (Charlton, MA) belted a triple to right center in the third, with one man down. Freshman starter Jaclyn Labrecque (Sutton, MA) then plated Sherman with an RBI ground out to tie the score 1-1.

But the Lancers promptly responded with three runs in the bottom of the stanza on a two-run single by Mahoney as she would later come around to score on a wild pitch.

Worcester State broke the game open in the fourth as they would score six times in the inning taking advantage of misplayed bunt by the pitcher. Freshman Carolyn Hassett (Charlton, MA) knocked in two runs with a single while sophomore Alex Kerr (Franklin, MA), junior Lauren Besozzi (Milford, MA) and third-year Jaime Jacobs (Billerica, MA) all notched RBIs in the rally to force the eight-run rule.

Mahoney (13-2) allowed one earned run in her five innings of work on 76 pitches while she scattered five hits. Mahoney would finish with nine strikeouts as she also plunked one batter.

Labrecque (0-12) shouldered the setback for the Buccaneers as she yielded 10 runs (three earned) on six hits to go along with one strikeout and nine walks.

Junior Ashley Howe (Winchendon, MA) scored three times for the Blue and Gold while Mahoney had three RBIs. Sherman had two base-knocks for Mass Maritime.

In the second contest, Worcester State opened up a 5-0 advantage to start off the first game. Freshman Hillary Hart (Clinton, MA) jacked out a three-run homer as Beaudry added a two-run double in the inning.

The Lancers put another crooked number in the second with six runs as they were highlighted by a two-run double by Besozzi and RBIs by Mahoney, Kerr and Beaudry.

With the 11 run lead, the Blue and Gold scored five more times in the bottom of the third and twice in the fourth for the final score.

Hart was 3-for-3 while she finished with four runs scored and three RBIs. Mahoney also crossed the plate four times while Lamoureux was 3-for-4 with three runs. Sophomore Kylene Pease (Ashland, MA), Beaudry, and Besozzi all chipped in with two base-knocks apiece.

Beaudry (2-1) and Winter gave up just one hit apiece in the complete-game shutout as they both combined for five strikeouts. Winter also issued one free pass.  

Labrecque absorbed the setback in the second game as she finishes the season with a record of 0-13. Labreque was relieved by sophomore Janelle Beaulieu (Buzzards Bay, MA) who pitched the final two frames.