Softball Takes Game Two 7-6 in Split with Worcester State

Worcester, Mass. – The Framingham State University softball team took game two of a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader as they rallied back from a six-run deficit and won the game in extra innings on a sacrifice fly from Kristen Dick (Tewksbury, Mass.) in the top of the eighth inning to snap the Lancers' eight-game winning streak.  The Lancers took the opener 3-1.

With the split, the Rams are now 13-13 on the year and 4-2 in the MASCAC, while the Lancers are now 10-9 overall and 4-2 in the league.

In the opener, Shrewsbury, Mass. natives Ashely Lynch and Kaci Panarelli combined for 4-of-7 Lancer hits as the Blue and Gold earned the first win of the afternoon by a score of 3-1. 

Worcester State scored the first run of the two-game affair in the bottom of the second inning. The Lancers loaded the bases on an error, a walk, and a single from Haley Scola (Worcester, Mass.). Becky Brandeberry (Phillipston, Mass.) was out at the plate, but Panarelli rounded third and headed home on a throwing error by Framingham State's catcher for the 1-0 Lancer advantage.

The Rams knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the third inning when Mycala Moody (North Attleboro, Mass.) hit home Camille Desrochers (Westford, Mass.) on a sacrifice fly.

The Lancers scattered two more runs in the bottom of the fourth and in the bottom of the sixth. Samantha Stake (Worcester, Mass.) sent in a run in the bottom of the fourth, while senior Panarelli hit her second homer of the season in the bottom of the sixth.

Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.) went the distance in the circle and allowed just one Framingham State run on five hits. She walked three batters and struck out four in the seven inning stretch.

Lynch and Panarelli each batted 2-for-2 with a walk. Panarelli scored twice and drove in a run.

Lauren Salisbury (Cranston, R.I.) also batted 2-for-2 with a walk for the visitors. Moody drove in the Rams' lone run.

Smith-Porter earned her fourth win of the season in the seven-inning, one-run performance.

Framingham State's Kelsi Gunarathne (North Providence, R.I.) suffered the loss in the six innings pitched. She allotted three runs (one unearned) on seven Lancer hits. She struck out four batters at the dish.

The Framingham State Rams rallied back from a six-run deficit and won the game in extra innings on a sacrifice fly from Kristen Dick (Tewksbury, Mass.) in the top of the eighth inning to snap the Lancers' eight-game winning streak.

Worcester State scored first on a solo home run from Kaiulani Ennis (Swansea, Mass.) in the bottom of the third inning. The Blue and Gold then packed on five runs in the bottom of the fourth on four hits and one Ram error. Katie Polselli (Charlton, Mass.), Ennis, Lynch, and Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.) accounted for the RBI to put the Lances ahead 6-0.

Junior pitcher Rachel Frisch (Worcester, Mass.) pitched four scoreless innings until Framingham State put a run on the board in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI grounder from Dayna Marchant (East Bridgewater, Mass.).

The Rams rallied back in the sixth inning and scored five runs on four hits, including a three-run home run from Grace Caughey (Mendon, Mass.) to tie the game at 6-6. Both teams were hitless in the seventh, which sent the game into extra's.

Dick drove in the game-winning run for the Rams in the top of the eighth inning on a long ball to right field. Worcester State's right fielder gunned the ball to the catcher, but Framingham State's Salisbury had already scored for the seventh run. The Rams' relief pitcher, Gunarathne, closed out the flip side of the inning for the win.

Caughey batted 3-for-3 with a walk, three RBI and one run scored for the Rams.

 Salisbury and Desrochers each crossed home plate twice, while Desrochers recorded two RBI in the win for Framingham.

Worcester State's Ennis batted 3-for-4 with a walk, three RBI and two runs scored.

 Polselli collected two hits for the hosts.

Gunarathne and Smith-Porter each completed the day with a win and a loss, as Gunarathne took game two in three innings pitched. She did not allow a run and held the Lancers to just two hits in her appearance.

Smith-Porter pitched three innings of relief and suffered the loss as she allowed two runs on just one hit.

Worcester State is back in action on Monday (Apr. 16) when they travel to Salem State for a MASCAC doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. Framingham State will host Massachusetts Maritime on Tuesday (Apr. 17) in a 3/5 p.m. MASCAC twinbill.

 Release courtesy of Worcester State Sports Information