No. 22 MIT Sweeps Worcester State in Non-Conference Doubleheader

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The MIT softball team, ranked No. 22 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll, set the new program record for the longest win streak (15) after sweeping Worcester State University in non-conference action on Wednesday afternoon at Briggs Field. The Engineers took game one by a 6-0 score and followed it up with a 5-0 victory in game two, which was called in the bottom of the sixth due to darkness.

Game One: MIT 6, Worcester State 0

MIT senior Alexandra Marshall (Glen Head, N.Y.) improved her mark this season to 12-4, pitching six shutout innings, allowing just one hit and striking out seven. Sophomore Deanna Delgado (Miami, Fla.) came on for a clean seventh inning with a strikeout and a walk. Lancers' senior Meghan Rich (Chelmsford, Mass.) took the loss (3-4) on five innings, six runs (five earned), 11 hits, one walk and four punch outs.

Marshall was perfect through nine batters, but senior Taylor Daniels (Norco, Calif.) notched the only hit off of the senior, breaking up the no-hit and perfect game bid for the Engineers.

MIT's offense came in the form of two runs in each of the middle frames. Sophomore Zoe Hinton (Aurora, Colo.) got the scoring started in the bottom of the third when she roped a two RBI single to left field scoring sophomore Amanda Lee (Saratoga, Calif.) and junior Monica Shifflet (Poway, Calif.). Lee reached base via a fielder's choice, while Shifflet took first on a walk.

In the fourth, sophomore Jasmin Joseph (Woodland Hills, Calif.) singled up the middle, plating pinch runner Helen Rosenthal (Bethesda, Md.) and Shifflet added with an RBI base knock of her own for the 4-0 lead. MIT's final pair of runs came in the last half of the fifth when junior Ali Trueworthy (Rochester, N.H.) drove in freshman Lisa Zhu (Columbus, Ohio) with the bases loaded, while sophomore Katherine Shade (Glencoe, Ill.) hit a sacrifice fly to center, allowing junior Natalie Shifflet (Poway, Calif.) to score MIT's sixth run of the game.

After allowing a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh, Delgado shut the door with three straight outs, including a punch-out sealing the win and securing the longest win streak in program history. In game one, freshman Kim Veldee (Kirkland, Wash.) went a perfect 3-for-3, which included her first career triple on a ball that ricocheted off the right field fence.

Game Two: MIT 5, Worcester State 0

The Engineers kept the bats going in game two as MIT put up four runs in the bottom of the first, putting the nightcap out of reach early on. After Joseph singled through the left side to open the second game, M. Shifflet and Lee walked to load the bases. This was followed by an RBI single by Hinton, a two-run base hit by senior Tori Jensen (Holliston, Mass.) and an RBI knock by Veldee for the 4-0 advantage.

That was all freshman Amber VanHemel (Coconut Creek, Fla.) needed to earn her third win of the season (3-0) for MIT in the circle. VanHemel didn't allow a run, struck out five and gave up three hits through four innings for the Engineers.

MIT added one more run in its half of the third when Shade singled home Veldee on a ball roped to center field , which extended the lead to 5-0. Freshman Ravenne Nasser (Methuen, Mass.) was perfect through the final two innings and added a strikeout in relief of VanHemel. Worcester State junior Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.) shouldered the loss (2-2) in game two as she couldn't get out of the first inning allowing four runs, four hits and two walks.

MIT (19-5) travels to Coast Guard for a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) twinbill on Friday, April 15 starting at 3:00 p.m., while Worcester State (11-12-1) hosts Rhode Island College tomorrow afternoon for a pair of non-conference games beginning at 4:00 p.m.

Release Courtesy of MIT Sports Information