2015 MASCAC Softball Tournament Bracket
North Adams, MA --- Junior Sara Pelletier (Leominster, MA) chipped in with four hits and three runs scored to help Worcester State sweep MCLA, 3-0 and 1-0, this afternoon in MASCAC softball action at the Zavattaro Field.
With the victories, the Lancers (21-11, 11-3 MASCAC) have claimed their ninth MASCAC Regular Season title and top seed in next week's league tournament while the Trailblazers fall to 11-17 and 8-4 against conference opponents.
Worcester State will be playing the winner of the fourth-seeded Salem State and #5 Westfield State on Friday at 4 PM in the opening round of the league tournament semifinals.
The Blue and Gold went up 1-0 to begin the opener in the top of the first. Pelletier singled to start things off before she advanced to second on a misplayed ball by the left fielder and third on a sacrifice. Pelletier then came home on a long fly ball to centerfield by sophomore Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, RI).
The visitors tacked on one more tally in the fifth when Salisbury doubled in Pelletier, who began the frame with a single and she moved up one more base on a swipe of second.
WSU pushed across their third score in the top of the seventh. Following a double by Pelletier that put her and junior Jillian Witkowski (Leicester, MA) on second and third, Witkowski crossed the plate on a RBI single by senior Katie Storro (Leominster, MA).
Junior Meghan Rich (Chelmsford, MA) was outstanding as she fired a five-hitter with three strikeouts and one walk. Rich stranded runners in scoring position in the second and third innings to help preserve a one-run contest.
Pelletier, was 3-for-4 in the opener to help the Lancers edge their opponents in hits, 6-5.
Junior Rachel Quackenbush (Hoosick Falls, NY) absorbed the loss for the Trailblazers. Quackenbush (6-6) allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits to go with two walks and six punch outs.
An early score by Pelletier was the difference in the nightcap. She led off the game with a solo knock, moved ahead 60 feet on a ground-out and came home on an RBI double by junior Hayley Terry (N. Dighton, MA).
The Lancers had their chances to net some insurance, but senior Amanda Meczywor (Adams, MA) kept her team in the game with six scoreless frames of five-hit softball. In total, Meczywor (5-8) left seven runners on base and she fanned four without walking a batter.
Rich (15-2), however, was equally as dominant in the second game as she pumped scattered four base-knocks with one strikeout in her seven frames of work. The shutout was her eighth of the campaign.
Salisbury was the lone multi-hitter for either side with Worcester State outslugging their counterparts, 7-4.
Worcester State will play in a non-conference twin bill on Monday at 3:30 against Trinity (CT) while the Trailblazers fight for the second seed in the league playoffs against Salem State at home tomorrow in a 1 PM twin bill.
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