Worcester, MA- Looking to end the day stretching their win streak to nine the Worcester State Softball team (17-12, 5-5) welcomed Salem State to Ralph Raymond in a crucial end of regular season matchup. Worcester faces the Vikings in their second to last conference series in what could become a crucial outcome for final seeding in the postseason.
Final
Game 1
Worcester State: 8
Salem State: 2
Game 2
Worcester State: 8
Salem State: 1
How it Happened:
It would be a slow but steady start for the Lancers as junior Emma Lapoint (Westfield, MA) would record a single that would see junior Camden Heenan (Webster, MA) to open up the plate for the first run. Junior Morgan Keefe (Dracut, MA) would record a double in the third that would see Lapoint and senior Emma Lanpher (Charlton, MA) push the score to 3-0. A sacrifice fly from junior Bella Gasbarro (Leominster, MA) would wrap up the action in the third as she would send a sacrifice fly to left field to bring Keefe across.
Salem would find two runs in the fourth for their lone runs of the game as Worcester would find another off a Gasbarro single for Keefe in the fifth and Lanpher in the sixth would record two more RBIs in her quest for 100 as she tripled to right field to send in in sophomore Cam Brouillard (Millbury, MA) and Heenan. The final action would see Lapoint ground out but provide the time for Lanpher to make the final score 8-2.
Senior Sarah Gosselin (Charlton, MA) would go for the complete game win allowing seven hits with seven strikeouts.
The second game had a similar feel to the first as both teams were slow to get on the board but the seal would finally be cracked with a bases loaded single from senior Abigail Koziol (Lunenburg, MA) that would bring in Lanpher for the 1-0 lead. Gabarro would continue the run with a liner to third that was mishandled to bring in Lapoint which was followed up by another error on a junior Amanda Adamuska (Dudley, MA) knock to short that would send across Keefe. Senior Jordan Geloso (Rutland, MA) took the contact on the pitch to walk in Koziol while junior Carissa Andrews (Medfield, MA) would cause another error on the third baseman for a Gasbarro run. Brouillard would then single to the second baseman who was just short of the play to bring in Geloso and Adamuska for a 7-0 lead into the fourth.
The Vikings would find a run in the fifth as Worcester would attempt to end the game in five in the bottom of the inning. Worcester would nearly get there off a Gasbarro single to mid center that would send Lapoint in for run eight but a zipper to third at the next at bat would carry the 8-1 lead into the top of the seventh. Sophomore Peyton Maloney (West Boylston, MA) would allow two runners on but managed to hold the composure to come away with the 8-1 complete game victory. Maloney would allow just two hits while recording nine strikeouts in the action.
What's Next:
The Lancers (19-12, 7-5) are back in action at 4pm tomorrow with a meeting with Suffolk for two. The second game of the series will also serve as the first Morgan's Message game for the Worcester State Athletic Department.