Softball Takes Game Two in Split with Worcester State
Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University softball team took game two 6-4 to salvage a split in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader with Worcester State University this afternoon at Maple Street.
With the split, the Rams are now 11-15 on the season and 5-5 in the MASCAC, while the Lancers move to 16-8 overall and are now 6-2 in the MASCAC.
The Lancers took control of a scoreless game in the fourth inning as they plated three runs on a three run homerun from sophomore Rachel Couto (Chelmsford, Mass.).
The Rams had a chance in the bottom of the fifth inning to get on the board by the Lancers' centerfielder Taylor Hanley (Wilmington, Mass.) made a diving catch in shallow left center to save a pair of runs and end the inning.
A single run in the top of the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly from Couto extended the lead to 4-0, but the Rams were able to push one across in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from freshman Anna Dziok (Southampton, Mass.) to reach the final score.
Junior Meghan Rich (Chelmsford, Mass.) earned the victory in the circle for the Lancers going the distance. Rich allowed just one earned run on seven hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Junior Natasha Arseneau (Waltham, Mass.) took the loss for the Rams allowing four runs, all earned, on eight hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
The Rams jumped on top in the bottom of the first inning of game two scoring four runs and forcing the Lancers to go to their bullpen early. Sophomore Kylie Boyle's (Billerica, Mass.) sacrifice fly with the bases loaded scored the first run and freshman Megan Downing (Hanson, Mass.) plated two more with a single. Sophomore Danielle Belliveau (Lakeville, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice allowing the fourth run to score.
Framingham State tacked one more on in the bottom of the second on an RBI ground out from Dziok pushing the lead to 5-0.
The Lancers chipped away at the lead with three in the fourth. The Lancers took advantage of an error in the Rams infield for the first run and received RBI basehits from freshman Samantha Rivers (Leicester, Mass.) and Hanley cutting the deficit to 5-3.
Cuoto singled home a run in the top of the fifth to pull the Lancers within one, but the Rams added an insurance run in the sixth on a Dziok sacrifice fly to seal the victory.
Sophomore Tiffanie Marsh (Tewksbury, Mass.) recorded the victory in the circle allowing three runs, one earned, on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts, Arseneau recorded the save. Mary McKeown (Shrewsbury, Mass.) took the loss without recording an out as she allowed three earned runs on one hit with two walks. Marissa Avanzato (Pittsfield, Mass.) worked seven innings in relief allowing three runs, two earned, on eight hits.
The Rams are back in action Monday afternoon when they travel to Mass. Maritime for a pair of conference games beginning at 12 p.m., while the Lancers host Salem State for a pair of MASCAC contests starting at 12 p.m.