Worcester State University Softball Splits Conference Opener with Westfield State

Recap, photo courtesy of Worcester State University

WESTFIELD, Mass. – The Worcester State University Lancers and Westfield State University Owls split the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) opener Friday afternoon as game one was driven by a strong Westfield offense and the second game was a home run battle between the two teams.

GAME ONE: Westfield State 6, Worcester State 4

Westfield State took the first conference win of the day as they scored six runs on 13 hits and two Lancer errors.

Worcester State was the first team to reach the board in the bottom of the first inning when Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.) hit an RBI single to plate Ashley Lynch (Shrewsbury, Mass.).

Westfield State began the scoring in the top of the third inning when they plated three runs on five

hits. The Owls scored the runs on RBI singles from Caitlin Hughes (Hanson, Mass.), Karly Mastello (Russell, Mass.), and Angelica Banning (East Granby, Conn.) for the 3-1 score.

The Owls added to their lead in the top of the fourth inning when Bri Tortora (Worcester, Mass.) hit an RBI single, and plated another run in the top of the fifth on a groundout for a 5-1 advantage.

Worcester State put up two runs in the reverse side of the inning on Owl errors, to set the score at 5-3.

Each team added in a run in the seventh inning, which resulted in the 6-4 final score with Westfield State on top.

• Westfield State's Hughes led all batting, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI.
• Lindsay Cordopatri (Walpole, Mass.), Mastello, and Banning each collected two hits in the win.
• The Owls' Emily Arredondo (Woburn, Mass.) earned the win in the circle as she pitched a complete game and allowed four runs (three unearned) on nine hits and struck out four Lancer batters.
• Worcester State's Lynch, Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.), Smith-Porter, and Becky Brandeberry (Phillipston, Mass.) each registered two hits apiece in the setback. Smith-Porter recorded the lone Lancer RBI.
• Smith-Porter pitched a complete game and was tabbed the loss as she allowed six runs (two unearned) on 13 hits. She struck out four batters at the plate.

GAME TWO: Worcester State 6, Westfield State 5

The Lancers edged Westfield State to split on the day as Smith-Porter led the team going 2-for-3 with two home runs, two runs, and four RBI.

After Westfield State reached the board on a solo home run from Maddy Atkocaitis (Westfield, Mass.), Worcester State's Smith-Porter responded with a two-run blast in the bottom of the first inning to set the score to 2-1.

Atkocaitis struck again and scored Cordopatri on an RBI triple for a 2-2 tie score. In the same inning, Hughes hit home Atkocaitis and Michaela LeBlanc (Marblehead, Mass.) plated Hughes for a 4-2 score

Worcester State came back with one run in the bottom of the third on an RBI double from Brandeberry for the 4-3 score, still in favor or Westfield State.

Atkocaitis had no trouble hitting as she came up to bat in the top of the fourth inning and hit home a run on a double to left field.

Worcester State rallied back from a 2-run deficit as Smith-Porter tied the score at 5-5 with a 2-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning, and Lynch had an RBI single to score Samantha Stake (Worcester, Mass.), who had reached on an error, for the win in the bottom of the sixth. The Lancers saw a 1-2-3 inning from Westfield in the top of the 7^th to close out the day with a split.

• Smith-Porter was the offensive leader for the Lancers, batting 2-for-3 with two homers, two runs, and four RBI.
• Kaci Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Brandeberry each had two hits and a double for the Blue and Gold.
• Westfield State's Atkocaitis was impressive at the plate as she batted a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, triple, home run, two runs, and three RBI.
• Westfield's remaining six hits were scattered amongst six batters.
• Worcester State's Carly Zielinski (Monson, Mass.) earned the win as she pitched five innings and allowed one run on four hits.
• Westfield's Emily Woodworth (Marlborough, Mass.) took the loss in a 6-inning performance.

UP NEXT

The Lancers' softball team is scheduled to play next at Clark University on Tuesday (April 3) in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.