Smith-Porter Caps off Sweep over Mass. Maritime with Complete-Game Shutout
WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester State University softball team racked up a total of 37 runs on 38 hits Sunday afternoon, as they swept the Massachusetts Maritime Buccaneers in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader, played at Rockwood Field.
WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester State University softball team racked up a total of 37 runs on 38 hits Sunday afternoon, as they swept the Massachusetts Maritime Buccaneers in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader, played at Rockwood Field.
With the pair of wins, Worcester State advances to 5-11 and 2-2 in conference play. The Buccaneers dip to 2-6 and 0-4 in the league.
GAME ONE: Worcester State 21, Mass. Maritime 3
The Worcester State softball team earned their first MASCAC victory in the first game of the afternoon, as they defeated the Buccaneers by a score of 21-3.
Worcester State tallied its season-high 21 runs on 17 hits and four Mass. Maritime errors.
Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.) notched two home runs, one of which was a grand slam, to total four RBI. Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, R.I.) led the Lancers with five RBI, as she went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run. Monica Ferrazzani (N. Reading, Mass.) tallied three RBI as she registered a triple and single against the Buccaneers.
In addition to the three RBI leaders, five other Worcester State batters averaged .500 or above in game one.
Rachel Gardner (Bourne, Mass.), Madison Ovadek (Greenland, N.H.), Emily Goodwin (Halifax, Mass.), and Sarah Monteiro (N. Falmouth, Mass.) scattered the four hits for the Buccaneers.
The Lancers began their scoring binge in the bottom of the 1st inning when they tallied nine runs on six hits and two errors. Salisbury opened the game with a solo home run to left field. The Lancers then loaded the bases and Despres' grand slam brought in four more runs with no outs on the board. The Lancers would go into the second inning ahead 9-0.
The Buccaneers reached the board in the top of the 2nd inning when two runs came in on RBI singles from Goodwin and Monteiro.
Each team added another run to advance the score to 10-3 going into the 4th inning, however, Worcester State scored 11 runs in the bottom of the 4th to seal the 21-3 victory in five innings.
Worcester State's Kayla Humphrey (Wallingford, Conn.) earned the win in the circle, while Carly Zielinski (Monson, Mass.) relieved her in the 4th inning and did not allow a hit in two innings pitched.
Mass. Maritime's Melissa Cochrane (Walpole, Mass.) suffered the loss in a 4-inning pitching performance.
GAME TWO: Worcester State 16, Mass. Maritime 0
The Lancers concluded the sweep over Massachusetts Maritime with a 16-0 shutout in the second game of the afternoon.
The Blue and Gold scored their 16 runs on a season-high 21 hits and three Buccaneers errors, while Worcester State's Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.) pitched a complete-game 5-inning no hitter and struck out nine of 16 batters faced.
Becky Brandeberry (Phillipston, Mass.) and Despres both powered the Lancers' offense with two runs and four RBI apiece. Three Lancers (Brandeberry, Despres, and Mary McKeown) batted a perfect 3-for-3 on the occasion. Salisbury also collected three hits in the win.
Jenna Nalette (Goffstown, N.H.) took the loss in the circle for the visitors, as she pitched five innings for the Buccaneers.