Softball Splits Two with UMass Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Mass. – The Framingham State University softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth at the UMass Dartmouth Athletic Complex Tuesday afternoon. The Corsairs won the first game, 9-1 in six innings, and the Rams took the second game, 4-3 in thrilling fashion.

The Corsairs grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the opener, and led, 2-1, in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore shortstop Emily Pontes (Tewksbury, Mass.) hit a two-run homer.

UMass Dartmouth put the game away with five runs in the bottom of the sixth. Senior first baseman Kaitlin Hogan (Tewksbury, Mass.) singled home one run, senior catcher Diane Barry (Norwood, Mass.) drove home another with an infield grounder, freshman right fielder Becky Williams (Hope Valley, RI) knocked in another with a double and scored on a passed ball, and freshman center fielder Olivia Kenyon (Canton, Mass.) singled home the run that ended the game due to the eight-run rule.

Senior pitcher Brittany Eldridge (Raynham, Mass.) earned the victory, going the distance to improve to 3-3. Junior Yaya Faria (Acton, Mass.) also pitched a complete game and took the loss, falling to 1-5 on the season.

FSU took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning of the nightcap, getting one of their runs on a single by senior first baseman Alyssa Shea (Lakeville, Mass.).

The Corsairs tied it in the second on a bases-loaded walk to freshman second baseman Jenna Sylvia (New Bedford, Mass.) and run-scoring singles by Kenyon and Pontes.

The Rams scored the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by senior pitcher Alysia Morrissette (Ware, Mass.).  

Senior Ashley Felaccio (Acushnet, Mass.) started for the Corsairs. Williams, who relieved her in the second inning and went the rest of the way, took the loss and fell to 0-3. Morrissette earned the complete game win for the Rams and improves to 4-5.

Both teams are now an identical 5-11 on the year. The Corsairs will return to action when they host Southern Maine in a doubleheader Saturday. Framingham State will host Newbury Thursday in a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m.