Softball Shuts Out Becker on Senior Day; Despres Records 200th Career Hit in Sweep

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester State University softball team shutout the visiting Becker College Hawks by scores of 7-0 and 9-0 in a Thursday afternoon doubleheader. The Lancers' Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.) logged her 200^th collegiate career hit in the second game with a single to left center.

THE BASICS

April 26, 2018

Rockwood Park

Records: Worcester State (20-9) | Becker (18-14)

SENIOR RECOGNITION

In between games, Worcester State recognized its 2018 senior softball class: #3 Kaci Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.), #15 Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.), and #21 Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.)

GAME ONE: Worcester State 7, Becker 0

With two outs on the board, Worcester State saw back-to-back hits from Despres, Smith-Porter, Becky Brandeberry (Phillipston, Mass.), Panarelli, Haley Scola (Worcester, Mass.) and Katie Polselli (Charlton, Mass.) to drive in four runs in the bottom of the first for the lead.

Another run crossed the board for Worcester State in the bottom of the second inning when leadoff hitter, Kaiulani Ennis (Swansea, Mass.) homered to left center.

Despres added another homer in the bottom of the fourth inning to advance the score to 7-0 heading into the fifth.

Becker was not allowed a hit in the fifth, and left a total of four runners on base in the last two innings of play to conclude the game with a score of 7-0.

Worcester State's sophomore pitcher Carly Zielinski (Monson, Mass.) pitched a complete-game shutout and allowed just five Becker hits. She walked one batter, and struck out one.

• Worcester State's 14-hit attack was led by Despres who batted a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.
• Monica Ferrazzani (North Reading, Mass.) batted 2-for-2, while Ennis batted 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI in game one.
• Becker left a total of six runners on base, while Worcester State left eight stranded.
• Becker's Lauren Neimann (Bay Shore, N.Y.) batted 2-for-3. Rebecca Carkuff (Amherst, Mass.), Megan Klemanchuck (Pawtucket, R.I.) and Alyssa Columb (Manchester, N.H.) each registered a hit.
• Becker made three fielding errors, while Worcester State had one.

GAME TWO: Worcester State 9, Becker 0 – 5 inn.

The first run of the game was scored on a sacrifice fly from Despres, who plated Ennis for the 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Lancers scored five runs on four hits and two Hawk errors. The first two Worcester State baserunners reached on errors. Ashley Lynch (Shrewsbury, Mass.) singled to shortstop to load the bases. Next up, Despres hit her 200^th career hit on a single to left field two plate Lynch. Ferrazzani plated the next run on a single through the right side, and rookie Sam Maglione (Lancaster, Mass.) sent home two runs on a single to right field.

Worcester State's Smith-Porter pitched a no-hitter until the top of the fourth inning when Becker's Sarah Ellis (Berkley, Mass.) started the inning with a double to centerfield. Samantha Lee (Prospect, Conn.) registered the Hawks' second hit of the game in the same inning on a single to shortstop, but the Hawks were unable to change the nil score.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Worcester State tacked on an additional three runs on Ennis' second homer of the day, a sacrifice fly from Panarelli, and a single from Scola.  

Smith-Porter completed the shutout in the top of the fifth inning when she dealt Becker a groundout, popup, and a strikeout.

• Smith-Porter earned her eighth win of the season in the five-inning performance. She allowed just two Becker hits and struck out four.
• Becker's Lee took her second loss of the day in a four-inning performance. She allowed just one earned run in the 10 innings pitched.
• Worcester State's offense was led by Despres who batted 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI.
• Maglione batted 2-for-3 with two RBI in the win.

UP NEXT

The Lancers wrap up the regular season on Saturday (Apr. 28) in Buzzards Bay as they head to Massachusetts Maritime for a MASCAC doubleheader, beginning at 12 noon. Becker hosts Mitchell on the same date.

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