Softball Wins First Game of Season against Buffalo State; Falls Short to New Paltz in Opening Game

CLERMONT, Fla. – The Worcester State University softball team earned its first win of the season as they defeated the Bengals of Buffalo State 13-7, after falling short to SUNY-New Paltz 4-3 earlier in the day.

THE BASICS

March 22, 2018

Legends Way Complex

Record: Worcester State (1-6)

GAME ONE: SUNY-New Paltz 4, Worcester State 3

After falling behind 2-0 in the first two innings of play, Worcester State secured a run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Katie Polselli (Charlton, Mass.) hit an RBI single to plate Ashley Lynch (Shrewsbury, Mass.) who had previously reached on a walk.

After scoreless fifth and sixth innings, SUNY-New Platz added to their lead with two runs in the top of the seventh on an RBI single from Shannon Fee (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) and an RBI groundout for the 4-1 lead.

Worcester State came firing back in the bottom half of the inning, but came up short just one run of a tie. Worcester State's Haley Scola (Worcester, Mass.) started the inning with a walk. Two batters later, Kaiulani Ennis (Swansea, Mass.) walked to put runners on first and second. With two outs on the board, Worcester State's Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.) and Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.) came up with back-to-back RBI singles for the 4-3 score. The Lancers could not score another run as the next batter flew out to left field.

• New Paltz scored their four runs on eight hits and five walks.
• Katie Conrad (Holtsville, N.Y.), Taylor Leonette (East Patchogue, N.Y.), and Fee each batted 2-for-3 in the win.
• Julia Dispingna (New Windsor, N.Y.) went 1-for-2 with a double, and scored a team-high two runs.
• Worcester State was held to just five hits: Smith-Porter accounted for two, while Despres, Polselli, and Samantha Stake (Worcester, Mass.) accounted for the other three.
• The Hawks' Lauren Cappello (New City, N.Y.) earned the win in 6 2/3 innings pitched as she allowed just three runs on five hits. She pitched four no-hitter innings in the win. Alyssa Pfitscher (Hyde Park, N.Y.) came in relief for the last batter and earned the save.
• Rachel Frisch (Worcester, Mass.) suffered the loss in a complete-game performance.

GAME TWO: Worcester State13, Buffalo State 7

The Lancers earned their first win of the season in their second game of the day against Buffalo State by a score of 13-7.

Worcester State quickly jumped on the board with five runs in the first inning, and four runs in the second to take a 9-0 advantage. The first inning was highlighted by RBI doubles from Despres and Kaci Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and a sacrifice fly from Becky Brandeberry (Philliptson, Mass.). The second inning saw RBI from Smith-Porter, Panarelli, and Brandeberry.

Buffalo State amassed six runs on five hits and one Lancer error in the third to make it a 3-run ballgame. The Bengals saw back-to-back hits from Danielle Symkowiak (Cheektowaga, N.Y.), Kaelee Lynch (Atwater, Calif.), Hannah Dunlap (Batavia, N.Y.) to start the inning. Another runner reached base on a fielding error, and then the Bengals saw RBI doubles from Cassie O'Hern (Augusta, N.J.) and Nicole Adams (Lockport, N.Y.) to add to their lead.

Despite the attempted comeback from Buffalo State, Worcester State packed on the runs in the fourth inning again as Smith-Porter and Scola each hit RBI doubles, and Polselli hit an RBI single for a 13-6 score.

The Blue and Gold held off the Bengals and just allowed one run in the bottom of the fifth on a double from Julia Blujus (Amherst, N.Y.), which led to a 13-7 win for the Lancers.

• Smith-Porter earned the win in the circle as she pitched a complete-game and allowed seven runs (two unearned) on 10 hits and struck out seven batters at the plate.
• Buffalo State's Adams suffered the loss as she gave up five runs in the first inning and Worcester State never trailed again.
• Worcester State's Despres and Smith-Porter both batted 4-for-4 with three runs and three RBI combined. Each batter walked one time additionally for the 1.000 on base percentage.
• Ennis batted 3-for-4 for the Lancers while Panarelli hit home three runs on two hits.
• Four Buffalo State batters (Szymkowiak, Lynch, Dunlap and Blujus) had four hits on the occasion.

UP NEXT

The Lancers conclude the spring games tomorrow at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla. The Blue and Gold will matchup against Union at 9 a.m. and Kalamazoo at 11:30 a.m.

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