North Myrtle Beach, SC- The Worcester State Softball team launched their 2023 campaign in strong fashion Saturday morning, taking on the University of Maine- Farmington in the first games for both programs. The Lancers carried the game in dominant fashion, coming away with the 7-0 win. They followed up that action with an afternoon square up with Spalding University. The teams went swing for swing before a late inning surge by Spalding pushed the game just out of reach with a 7-4 final.

The first inning of action saw Lancers dominant on the field and just getting their bats warmed, but they were effectively used in the second inning as seniors Rachel Sinclair (Westminster, MA), Naraylee Baez (Northborough, MA) and Jacqui Schwalm (Billerica, MA) each found bases time in the game. Schwalm was able to get on base off an error from Farmington's first baseman. In the course of the on field confusion, Baez managed to send herself home, but Sinclair was caught in the rundown with the Beaver's catcher. A quiet third inning, highlighted by a perfect pick off by sophomore Abigail Koziol (Lunenburg, MA), had the Lancers swiftly moving into the 4th inning ready to do some damage. 

Junior Lauren Dube (Leominster, MA), first up in the fourth, reached on an error by Farmington's second baseman to get the action going. First year Jayden Kelly (Tyngsboro, MA) stepped in as pinch runner, but would end up being unneeded as first year Emma Lapoint (Westfield, MA) sailed a ball deep over the fence of left field to add two more runs for the Lancers. A junior Brynna Meeker (Northwood, NH) triple sent  Baez across the plate to extend the Lancer lead to 4. LaPoint was back in the action in the fifth inning when her double sent fellow first years Ava Bogosian (Worcester, MA) and Bella Gasbarro (Leominster, MA) home. The bottom of the sixth saw the final scoring of the game as Gasbarro single would lead first year Morgan Keefe (Dracut, MA) home and record the 7th run for Worcester State.

Lapoint led in the hitting sector in game one of the day, recording a home run and a double. Senior Jen Thorburn (Groton, MA) recorded the win with 5 innings pitched, allowing only three hits and recording five strike-outs. Sophomore Sarah Gosselin (Charlton, MA) preserved the save with her two innings of action, allowing two hits and three strike-outs. 

In game 2 action the scoring started early with Spalding getting themselves on the board in the first inning but the Lancers doubled the answer in the bottom of the first when a Dube double sent Gasbarro and Keefe racing across home plate to get the action going. The second inning did not go in the Lancers favor as the Eagles managed to respond with three runs of their own to take the lead at 4-2. 

A busy fourth inning would bring the Lancers back level with the Eagles as a Meeker booming double saw sophomore Emma Lanpher (Charlston, MA) cross, before a Keefe single had Meeker grabbing her own run. The Lancers defense was solid during the game, with numerous diving saves from Baez,Schwalm and Meeker in the outfield to prevent Spalding from running away with the game early as they had done in their game just two hours earlier. The sixth inning would be Spalding's lucky break as they capitalized on a few balls falling into the gaps and some missed pick off attempts that moved their runners into scoring position. In the end the three additional runs by Spalding were just too much for the Lancers as they dropped the second game of the day 7-4.

Junior Emily Bartlett (Lowell, MA) nearly went for the complete game, going 6.2 innings allowing only 7 hits and recording 8 strikeouts in the grueling 2.5 hour game where fielding and pitching led the way. Sarah Gosselin pitched to 1 batter in the seventh inning. Spalding went with 2 pitchers who both were quite effective by allowing only one base on balls and surrendering runs in only 2 innings. Both teams had two fielding errors. The Lancer offense was led by Dube, Bella Gasbarro, and Keefe (2 hits each), and leadoff batter Meeker (double, run, RBI). Before WSU played them, Spalding picked up a win earlier in the day with a 4-1 victory over Wilson. Spalding plays in the SLIAC out of St. Louis, and was the league's pre-season No. 1. The Lancers outhit Spalding 10 hits to 7, but were undone by 8 bases on balls and 5 stolen bases.

Worcester State (1-1, 0-0) is back in action tomorrow morning when they take on Susquehanna at 9am and Wilson at 11am.