MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – On the final day of their trip to the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic, the Worcester State University softball team defeated Albertus Magnus 9-3 before falling to Franciscan 5-2 for a split of their doubleheader.
The Lancers return from South Carolina with a record of 4-6 and will get ready to play their home opener on Tuesday, March 22nd against Lasell at 4:00 PM.
Game 1: Worcester State 9, Albertus Magnus 3
Worcester State scored five runs in the fourth to overcome a 3-1 first inning deficit and pounded out 15 hits on their way to victory.
The top four batters in the lineup each had two hits, as did Jen Thorburn (Groton, Mass.), who was 2-2 with two runs scored and threw six innings to earn the victory.
Lauren Dube (Leominster, Mass.) was 2-5 with a two-run double as part of the five-run inning for the Lancers, who collected five hits in the frame. They did all of their damage with two outs, with Brynna Meeker (Northwood, N.H.) and Abigail Koziol (Lunenburg, Mass.) singling home runs in addition to Dube's two-run, two-base knock.
Meeker collected three runs batter in on the day, scoring Thorbun in the fifth with a ground out and plating Emily Bartlett (Lowell, Mass.) in the seventh with a single. Emma Lanpher (Charlton, Mass.) was 2-4 with two runs scored, while Ally Tocman (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Naraylee Baez (Northborough, Mass.) each scored as well.
Bartlett threw a scoreless inning of relief of Thorburn, who improves to 2-1 in the circle.
Game 2: Franciscan 5, Worcester State 2
The Barons scored four runs in the top of the first inning to get off and running and Worcester State couldn't muster the comeback.
Lanpher was 2-3 and had an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth to score Meeker and make it a 4-2 deficit, but Franciscan added another run to insure the win with a double steal in the sixth.
Senior Jackie Andry (Westford, Mass.) helped get the Lancers on the board in the bottom of the second when she tripled to right field to chase home Tocman, who had one of Worcester State's five hits.
The Barons got the first six batters to reach base in the first inning, three via base hits and three via walks. The first three were against first year starter Alexis Anderson (Raynham, Mass.), who suffered the loss in her first collegiate decision. Molly Glynn (Abington, Mass.) and Bartlett struck out six and allowed just two earned runs the rest of the way, with each pitching 3+ innings of relief.