MASCAC Softball Tournament Bracket
Salem, MA --- Worcester State and Salem State split a MASCAC doubleheader this afternoon as freshman Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, RI) went 2-for-3 with two RBIs in 5-3 opening series win before the Vikings blanked the Lancers, 9-0 in a five-inning nightcap.
With the results of this afternoon's contests, the Blue and Gold move to 11-18 and 9-5 overall while Salem State is now 8-6 and 17-20-1 on the campaign.
Third-seeded Worcester State hosts #6 Fitchburg State on Thursday at 7 PM in the opening round of the MASCAC Tournament in an elimination game while the #4 Vikings entertain fifth-seeded Framingham State at 4:30 on the same day.
In game one, Salisbury and junior Katie Storro (Leominster, MA) led off the contest with consecutive singles before sophomore Hayley Terry (N. Dighton, MA) plated Salisbury with a sacrifice fly.
Second-year Meghan Rich (Chelmsford, MA) followed with a run producing double and classmate Sara Pelletier (Leominster, MA) tacked on a RBI single to help give the Lancers the early 3-0 lead in the top of the first.
After the Vikings scored twice in the bottom of the third to make it a one-score contest, Salisbury gave the visitors some breathing room with a two-run single to help drive in junior pinch runner Alyssa Hill (Erving, MA) and Pelletier for the 5-2 advantage.
Salem State tried to get something going in the last of the seventh when senior Lauren DiCredico (Tewksbury, MA) crossed home plate when sophomore Cara Crowley (Lynn, MA) got caught in a run down between first and second, but Crowley was effectively picked off for the out that ended the contest.
Rich (6-6) earned the win for the Blue and Gold in the circle. She scattered eight hits while allowing three earned runs, two walks and she struck out a trio of batters.
WSU outhit their opponents 9-8 as Rich and Salisbury were the lone multi-hitters with two base-knocks each.
In the nightcap, DiCredico tossed a two-hit five inning shutout to help the Vikings claim the game two victory.
Following back-to-back walks issued by SSU freshman Lauren Haberen (Neffs, PA), DiCredico was inserted to face off against the third batter of the contest as she only yielded singles to freshman Mary McKeown (Shrewsbury, MA) in the second and classmate Kayla Humphrey (Wallingford, CT) in the fourth the rest of the way.
Salem State tallied twice in the top of the first, four in the bottom of the second and a trifecta of scores in the fourth to put the game away and force the eight-run rule.
McKeown (0-4) shouldered the loss as she went two-plus innings yielding five earned runs on five hits. MeKeown also issued three free passes and rung up one batter on strikes.
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