Softball Fourth Seed In MASCAC Tournament

Buzzards Bay, Mass. - Westfield State College has earned the top seed in the 2010 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference Softball Championships, which begin with first round play on Thursday, May 6th and continue in a double elimination format on both Saturday and Sunday, May 8th and 9th.

Westfield State will host fourth-seeded Framingham State College in one first round contest on Thursday afternoon at Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass. beginning at 4:00 p.m. EDT, while second-seeded Salem State College will host third-seeded Worcester State College in the other first round contest on Thursday afternoon at Alumni Field in Salem, Mass. beginning at 5:00 p.m. EDT. The tournament continues on Saturday morning at Westfield State’s Alumni Field in a double elimination format beginning at 11:00 a.m. EDT, with the championship round set for Sunday afternoon beginning at Noon, as the 2010 MASCAC champion receives an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Softball Championships.

Head Coach Lou Ann Simchak’s Owls shared the 2010 MASCAC regular season crown with Salem State with an 11-3 league mark (24-9 overall), but Westfield State earned the top seed in the tournament by winning a conference tie-breaker. Junior Alicia Gardner (Athol, Mass.) leads the way at the plate for the Owls with a .461 batting average that include 10 extra-base hits and 15 RBI, while sophomore Kerin DeGirolamo (North Attleboro, Mass.) follows at .424 with three homers and 20 RBI. Sophomore Madeline Tomich (Alford, Mass.) has posted a 14-2 mark inside the circle for Westfield State with a 1.51 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 115 2/3 innings to date.

Salem State shared the MASCAC regular season title under the guidance of Head Coach Leanne Harris by winning 11 of 14 league outings and posting an overall slate of 29-7-1. The Vikings are led offensively by senior Jess Baird (Worcester, Mass.), who checks in at a .406 clip with 11 doubles and 22 RBI to date, while fellow senior Amanda Scola (Leominster, Mass.) follows at .389 with a pair of homers and 22 RBI. Sophomore Katelyn Fanning (East Boston, Mass.) has posted a 17-4 slate on the mound for Salem State with a 2.54 ERA, as she has fanned 167 in 142 innings of work.

Worcester State claimed the third seed in this year’s MASCAC Championships with a 9-5 league slate under Head Coach Jennifer Kapenas, as the Lancers finished the regular season at 19-15 overall and are led offensively by sophomore Erica Cordio (Leominster, Mass.), who is hitting at a .440 clip with three homers and 21 RBI, and junior Michaella Mahoney (Shrewsbury, Mass.), who is batting .391 with five homers and 22 RBI at the plate and checks in with a 13-8 mark and a 1.48 ERA with 114 strikeouts in 132 2/3 innings of work inside the circle.

Framingham State rounds out the 2010 MASCAC championship field, as Head Coach Rich Paulhus led the Rams to a 9-5 conference mark and a 16-20 regular season slate. The Rams are paced at the plate and on the mound by junior Andrea DiTerlizzi (Shrewsbury, Mass.), who is batting .330 with two homers and 12 RBI while notching an 8-6 mark with 50 strikeouts inside the circle. Sophomore Alyssa Shea (Lakeville, Mass.) is also batting .330 with 32 hits and 11 RBI on the spring for Framingham State.

Bridgewater State captured the 2009 MASCAC Softball Championship with a 3-0 win over Westfield State in the title game.

2010 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference Softball Championships

(Double Elimination Format)

THURSDAY, MAY 6TH - FIRST ROUND

Game #1: #4 Framingham State (16-20, 9-5) at #1 Westfield State (24-9, 11-3) 4:00 pm

Game #2: #3 Worcester State (19-15, 9-5) at #2 Salem State (29-7-1, 11-3) 5:00 pm

SATURDAY, MAY 8TH - SEMI-FINALS (AT ALUMNI FIELD, WESTFIELD, MASS.)

Game #3: Loser Game #1 vs. Loser Game #2 11:00 am

Game #4: Winner Game #1 vs. Winner Game #2 1:00 pm

Game #5: Winner Game #3 vs. Loser Game #4 3:00 pm

SUNDAY, MAY 9TH - CHAMPIONSHIP (AT ALUMNI FIELD, WESTFIELD, MASS.)

Game #6: Winner Game #4 vs. Winner Game #5 Noon

Game #7: Winner Game #4 vs. Winner Game #5 (if neccessary) 30 minutes following

Release courtesy of MASCAC Media Relations.