Softball Closes MASCAC Action with Sweep of MCLA

Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University softball team kept their playoff hopes alive this season with a sweep of MCLA in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) softball action this afternoon at Farley Field. The Rams won the first game 2-1 and took the nightcap 6-0.        

With the wins, the Rams are now 8-6 in the MASCAC and 13-21 overall. The Rams are currently tied with Salem State for third place, but must wait for the results of tomorrow's MCLA-Bridgewater State doubleheader to see if they will grab the fourth and final playoff spot.  The Trailblazers are now 10-18 on the season and 3-9 in conference.

The Rams jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning of game one.  Sophomore Taylor Ezold (Westfield, Mass.) led off with a double to left and scored on classmate Kendra Fisher's (Abington, Mass.) double to center.

Framingham State added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth as junior Katie Donovan (Holden, Mass.) doubled to left driving in classmate Christy Ulak (Rehoboth, Mass.), who had singled and advanced to scoring position on a pass ball.

Sophomore Yaya Faria (Acton, Mass.) cruised through the first five innings in the circle allowing only four hits and preserving the slim lead.

The Trailblazers were able to push a run across in the top of the sixth as sophomore Megan Boyer (Clarksburg, Mass.) singled.  Kaitland Hager (Springfield, Mass.) pinch ran for Boyer and scored the Trailblazers run on an RBI single off the bat of Sarah Greenwood (Northfield, Mass.).  Faria regrouped retiring MCLA in the sixth allowing just the one run and holding them scoreless in the seventh to pick up the win.

Faria improved her season record to 8-5 allowing the one run on seven hits with 10 strikeouts.  Senior Kelly Pirzl (Pittsfield, Mass.) picked up the loss for the Trailblazers allowing two runs on six hits with two strikeouts.

Game two was a pitcher's duel between Framingham State junior Alysia Morrissette (Ware, Mass.) and MCLA senior Hadley Ameen (North Adams, Mass.).  Morrissette allowed only one hit, a single by Greenwood in the second, through the first six innings, while Ameen was equally impressive allowing only a one to hit the Rams, a double to Fisher in the first inning, in the first four innings.

In the fifth the Rams were finally able to get the offense going against Ameen as they scored six runs on seven hits to take a comfortable 6-0 lead.  The big blow in the inning was a grand slam off the bat of senior outfielder Andrea DiTerlizzi (Shrewsbury, Mass.).

That was all the support Morrissette would need as she worked out of a jam in the sixth inning when the Trailblazers had runners on first and second and allowed a single to lead off the seventh before retiring three in a row to seal the victory.

Morrissette finished the game surrendering only two hits in seven innings with no walks and three strikeouts, while Ameen picked up the loss allowing eight hits, seven in the decisive fifth inning alone, and six earned runs with seven strikeouts.

The Rams return to action tomorrow with a pair of nonconference games at home against UMass Dartmouth at noon, while the Trailblazers host Bridgewater State on Sunday at 1 p.m.