Softball Drops a Pair to Conference Leader Salem State
Framingham, Mass. – Behind a pair of solid pitching performances the Salem State University Vikings swept a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) softball doubleheader this afternoon against Framingham State at Farley Field. The Vikings battled from a run down twice to win the opener 3-2 before using a seven run inning to defeat the Rams 9-5 in the night cap.
With the wins the Vikings remain atop the MASCAC standings at 11-1 in the conference and 29-9 overall, while the Rams fall to 15-21 overall and 4-8 in the MASCAC.
The Rams took the early lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Alyssa Begin (Salem, Mass.) reached base and advanced to second on an error. Junior Taylor Ezold (Westfield, Mass.) drove Begin home on a single to center.
Salem answered with a run in the second to tie the game at 1-1. Junior Lauren Garchinsky (Saugus, Mass.) doubled to center and moved to third on a pass ball with two outs. Junior Sarra Bergeron (Methuen, Mass.) plated Garchinsky with a single to left.
A Yaya Faria (Acton, Mass.) homerun to left center to lead off the bottom of the second put the Rams back on top by one.
Salem tied the game once again with an unearned run in the top of the fourth. Starting pitcher Alyssa Bryan (Stoneham, Mass.) doubled to lead off the inning and came around to score two batters later after a pair of Framingham fielding miscues in the infield. A Bryan RBI triple in the fifth gave Salem their first lead of the day (3-2).
The Rams threatened in the bottom of the seventh when freshman Tiffany Agostini (Rehoboth, Mass.) led off the inning with a double, but she was stranded there as Bryan was able to retire the next three batters in order.
Bryan picked up the victory improving her season record to 15-2 as she went seven innings surrendering two runs, one earned, on three hits with seven strikeouts. Bryan and Garchinsky paced the Vikings at the plate in game one with two hit apiece.
Faria was tagged with the loss in the circle in game one going seven innings and allowing three runs, one earned, on six hits with 10 strikeouts. Ezold, Agostini and Faria had one hit apiece for the Rams in the opener.
In game two, the Vikings broke open a scoreless game with seven runs in the fourth inning as they rapped out five hits and capitalized on three Framingham errors. Freshman Jenn Toussaint (Reading, Mass.) and Bryan hit back-to-back singles to lead the inning off. Two errors by the Rams on fielder's choices led to three Viking runs and a pair of wild pitches led to another. Bergeron plated one on a sacrifice fly and senior Ashley Aldred (Arlington, Mass.) scored another on a triple to center.
The Rams answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit to 7-5 after four. Senior Alyssa Shea (Lakeville, Mass.) plated a run with a bases loaded sacrifice fly and Agostini reached on catcher's interference to reload the bases for Faria. Faria cleared the bases with her second homerun of the day, a grand slam to center.
The Vikings added single runs in the fifth on an RBI groundout by sophomore Lauren DiCredico (Tewksbury, Mass.) and sixth on an RBI double by Bryan to push the lead back to four at 9-5.
Senior Katelynn Fanning (East Boston, Mass.) recorded the victory in game two going the distance and allowing five runs, four earned, on four hits with a walk and six strikeouts, while Morrissette suffered the loss going seven innings and allowing nine runs, two earned, on nine hits with four strikeouts.
Touissaint went 2-for-2 in game two for the Vikings, while Bryan and sophomore Paige Flemming (Methuen, Mass.) each went 2-for-4. No Ram recorded multiple hits in game two, but Faira drove in four of the Rams five runs on her first career grand slam.
The Rams return to action on Friday with a doubleheader at Brandeis at 3:30 p.m., while the Vikings travel to Bridgewater State on Saturday at 12 p.m.