Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Softball team looked to put the pressure on Bridgewater State today in a moved up double header Friday night showdown as the close in on the final week of the season.
Game One Final: Lancers 1, Bridgewater St. 0
Game Two Final: Lancers 0, Bridgewater St. 2
Game One Recap:
The Lancers (21-15, 6-4) had a MASCAC doubleheader today against the Bridgewater St. Bears (10-25-1, 6-4). In game one, junior Emily Bartlett (Lowell, MA) (6-5) got the ball for the Lancers. McKayla Cusack (4-7) took the mound for the Bears
It was a quite first game of the series for both teams with little offensive action possible between the two elite pitchers in the conference. Emily Bartlett was on top of it this game as she threw a one-hitter into the top of the seventh inning. Unfortunately for her, catcher Madison Dana broke up the no-hitter bid in the top of the seventh.
In the bottom of the sixth, first-year Bella Gasbarro (Leominster, MA) reached on an error by the shortstop. Senior Rachel Sinclair (Westminster, MA) grounded out for a sac to move Gasbarro to second. Senior Naraylee Baez (Northborough, MA) was called upon to pinch run at second for Gasbarro. Worcester's sophomore Abigail Koziol (Lunenburg, MA) was the hero with the game-deciding single that scored Baez, which would prove to be the game-winning RBI.
Game Two Recap:
Senior Jen Thorburn (Groton, MA) (8-5) had the responsibility of trying to complete the sweep for the Lancers. Thorburn enters play with the second-best ERA in the MASCAC (2.47) and is tied for third in wins (8).
After a quiet game one for the Bears, they came out determined not to be shut out for the second game in a row. Bridgewater State sophomore Emily Marcotte had a slap hit up the middle as the next batter had a sacrifice to move the runner to second leaving the Bears with one out. Junior Janet Jolly (Raynham, MA) singled to move the runner to third followed by sophomore Amelia Blake hitting a high fly ball hit to centerfield that would be caught for an out, but the runner on base tagged up and scored to make it 1-0. Baez made a great jump on the ball in left field with a runner on third to hold the Bears at 1-0.
Thorburn was tested in the top of the second with senior Olivia Silva opening the inning with a blast off of the center field wall leaving her at second. After a wild pitch strikeout from Thorburn, Silva advanced to third with the batter making it to first after beating the throwdown. Madelyn Klingel reached first on an error by Thorburn scoring Silva to make it 2-0.
First-year Amanda Adamuska (Dudley, MA) singled and was followed by a perfectly placed sac bunt by first-year Emma Lapoint (Westfield, MA) to advance Adamuska to second. Senior Jacqui Schwalm (Billerica, MA) had an infield single that she beat out to advance the runner to third with one out. First-year Bailey Tammaro (Fitchburg, MA) had an infield hit where the catcher picked up the ball and chased Adamuska back to third, but Adamuska was too fast. The bases now loaded, Baez had a sac hit where the runner was thrown out at home from the forceout. The Lancers weren't able to make anything happen with the golden chance as Bridgewater got out of the jam.
In the bottom of the sixth, Adamuska got on base with a single to the left side of the field. First-year Jayden Kelly (Tyngsboro, MA) pinch-hit for Lapoint and reached base on an error by the Bears second baseman. A tough break followed for the Lancers, with runners on first and second with one out, Schwalm lined one back to the pitcher that was caught and as runners were on the move, Kelly was thrown out at second. It was bad luck for Worcester, nothing more than that.
Thorburn came back out for the top of the seventh with a two-run deficit. Madelyn Klingel launched a lead-off double. Klingel moved to third off of a sacrifice. With two out in the top of the seventh and a runner on third, Thornburn punched out the Bears batter and was fired up walking off the mound looking to give her team a rallying cry into the bottom of the seventh. Baez would respond to the cry as she laid down a bunt, her speed rushing Bridgewater St. into an error as the throw got past the first baseman and Baez sped off to third base. With one out and Baez on third, sophomore Emma Lanpher (Charlton, MA) put a bunt down, Baez made an attempt for home but was tagged out in a rundown. After the play was over, Lanpher ended up on second with two outs and Bartlett at the plate. Bartlett struck out to end the game.
The Lancers now (22-15, 7-5) will play Mass. Maritime in a double-header (15-7, 3-7) on May 6 at 12 pm for the Lancers senior day.