Softball Draws Split With Rhode Island College

Providence, RI --- Worcester State and Rhode Island College drew to a split this afternoon at the Dayna A. Bazar Field in non-conference softball action.

Freshman Hayley Terry (Dighton, MA) drove in three runs to help earn the Lancers earn the 6-4 win in game one before Blue and Gold dropped the second contest, 6-2.

In the opener, senior Kylene Pease (Ashland, MA) and Aimee Lamoureux (E. Brookfield, MA), junior Carolyn Hassett (Charlton, MA) and sophomore Taylor Hanley (Wilmington, MA) all chipped in with two base-knocks each.

After the Lancers (6-5) stranded four runners at the plate over the first two innings, they finally found success in the top of the third when Terry jacked a sacrifice fly to help put the visitors up 1-0.

Terry again came up with the clutch hit in the top of the fifth to give the Blue and Gold some breathing room when she plated Lamoreux and Hanley with a two-run triple to right.

Junior Hillary Hart (Clinton, MA) then capped off the frame with an RBI on a deep fly to left field to help make the score 4-0.

Worcester State tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth for a commanding 6-0 advantage on a two-run double by Pease with the bases juiced.

With runners at second and third, the Lancers looked poised to add to their lead, but freshman Katelyn McCaughney (Warwick, RI) was lifted and senior Jessica Borden (Lincoln, RI) came into the game and promptly retired the side.

The Anchorwomen  (8-6) carried the momentum and scored in the bottom of the seventh on a RBI single by junior Maria Darling (Asonia, CT) with two outs.

Following a scoreless top of the seventh, RIC rallied with a trio of runs in the last of the seventh. With two outs, first-year Shannon Laiho (W. Greenwich, RI) hammered a run producing triple before she came around to score on a passed ball to cut the lead in half.

Jandreau then drove in Katelyn Sykora (Waterford, CT), who swiped second, with a double for the 6-4 contest, but the Lancers got out of the jam with a groundout.

Freshman Meghan Rich (Chelmsford, MA) went the first six innings for the Lancers allowing one earned run. Rich (2-2) scattered six hits, fanned six and walked no one.

Rich was relieved by Pease who gave up the last three runs (one earned) in the bottom of the seventh. Pease struck out a pair of batters in one inning of work.

McCaughney (0-2) gave up six earned runs on 12 hits to go with a pair of free pases and three strikeouts in five-plus innings. Borden hurled two perfect frames.

Worcester State outslugged Rhode Island College, 12-9, as seven base-knocks were for singles.

Jandreau had three-hits for the hosts as Laiho had a pair of safties at the bottom of the order.

In the nightcap, the Lancers staked the early 2-0 edge in the top of the first on an RBI triple by Lamrouex and then she crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

But after she got out of the first inning, Borden cooled the Lancer offense by spinning six innings of three-hit softball.

The effort helped the hosts come-from-behind to post the triumph.

In the bottom of the second, the Anchorwomen made the score 2-1 on a misplayed ball by the pitcher after Pokura stole third. Pokura reached base on a one-out double.

Rhode Island College opened things up with a five-run bottom of the fourth. With runners on the corners, Abigal Francis (Worcester, MA/Doherty) and Justina Thoma (Canterbury, CT) both chipped in with run producing safeties for the 3-2 advantage.

With the bases juiced, the Blue and Gold did get an out at the plate, but Sykora belted a three-run double to give her squad some insurance.

Worcester State attempted to chip away at the lead by putting a runner on second in both the top of the fifth and sixth frames, but no one could deliver the key base-knock to get to Borden.

Borden (1-1) gave up two earned runs while scattering seven hits, recorded two strikeouts and did not walk a batter in the complete-game triumph for the Anchorwomen. 

Roy (2-1) shouldered the setback as she yielded six runs (two earned) on eight hits and she finished with a pair of punch outs.

Hanley was the lone multi-hitter in the second game for the Lancers. Thoma was 3-for-3 and Pokora tallied two hits and she crossed the plate twice for RIC.

Both squads will open their respective conference schedules with doubleheaders this weekend. Worcester State heads to Salem State for a 1:30 matchup while Rhode Island College hosts Southern Maine at 1 PM.