Softball Defeats McDaniel 6-5 and Falls to Nazareth 4-2

Winter Haven, Fla. – The Framingham State University softball team picked up their first victory of the season with a 6-5 triumph over McDaniel in game one at the Rebel Spring games this afternoon before dropping game two to Nazareth by a score of 4-2. 

The Rams (1-5) jumped out to a 3-0 lead over McDaniel in the top of the first on a three run homerun to left by junior shortstop Christy Ulak (Rehoboth, Mass.).

McDaniel would chip away at the Rams lead with a single run in the first and a pair of runs in the second off FSU starting pitcher Andrea DiTerlizzi (Shrewsbury, Mass.), who went four innings allowing three runs, all earned, on six hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout.

DiTerlizzi handed the ball over to sophomore Yaya Faria (Acton, Mass.) in the fifth with the score tied 3-3.  The score would remain that way until the bottom of the sixth when McDaniel pushed across a run on an RBI single to left by Beth Ann Fusco.

The Rams mounted a comeback in the top of the seventh as junior Katie Donovan (Holden, Mass.) led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice by senior Kelly Reardon (Groveland, Mass.).  Sophomore Taylor Ezold (Westfield, Mass.) followed with a single down the left field line setting the Rams up with runners on the corners.  Sophomore Kendra Fisher (Abington, Mass.) ripped a single up the middle scoring Donovan and tying the game at 4-4.

After an out, Fisher stole second giving the Rams runners on second and third with DiTerlizzi at the plate. After fouling off multiple pitches, DiTerlizzi answered with a hit down the right field line that plated two giving the Rams a 6-4 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, Meagan Elfert doubled to left and came around to score on an error two batters later, but that was as close as they would get as Faria struck out Tracy Davis for the final out.

Faria picked up the win in the game allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits with five strikeouts in three innings of work, while Ashley Miester picked up the loss going the distance allowing six runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts.

In the second game, Nazareth scored single runs in the top of the first and second off of Framingham State starter Alyssa Begin (Salem, Mass.) to take a 2-0 lead as Nazareth starting pitcher Kelly Kocher retired the first six Rams, five by way of the strike out.

The Rams rallied in the bottom of the third as freshman Jaleisa Rookard (Cambridge, Mass.) picked up her first collegiate hit in her first collegiate at bat with a single up the middle.  Sophomore Olivia D'Alessandro (Billerica, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice and came around to score the Rams first run on an RBI double by Ezold.  Ezold came around to score on a perfectly placed squeeze bunt by Fisher knotting the game at 2-2 after three.

Begin went four innings before surrendering the circle to junior Alysia Morrissette (Ware, Mass.).  Nazareth pushed two runs across in the top of the fifth off of Morrissette to retake the lead, 4-2.

The Rams had a chance to cut the gap in the bottom of the seventh as DiTerlizzi led off with a walk and junior Alyssa Shea (Lakeville, Mass.) was hit by a pitch.  Kocher regrouped and retired the next three hitters to end the Rams rally and pick up the victory.

The Rams return to action tomorrow as they face William Patterson at 1 p.m. and Rutgers – Camden at 3 p.m.