Softball Draws Split with Cross-town Rival WPI

Worcester, MA --- Worcester State senior Michaella Mahoney (Shrewsbury, MA) tossed a one hitter and batted 2-for-3 with an RBI in the nightcap to help Worcester State split with WPI in a non-conference softball doubleheader Wednesday night at Rockwood Park.

The Lancers took the second contest by a score of 2-0 while falling, 7-5, in the first game.

With the win and the loss WSU is now 17-9 on the season as the Engineers move to 19-18 overall.

Mahoney (9-2) did not allow a walk in her 13th career shutout for the Lancers while also striking out eight in the second game of the doubleheader.  Mahoney would retire her first 10 batters before freshman Juliana Fekete (Belgrade, MA) broke up the no-hit bid with a single through the right side with one down in the top of the third.

Only two more batters would reach with one coming on a third-strike wild pitch in the fifth and an error in the infield in the sixth.

Freshman Christa Coscia (Lakeville, MA) yielded two runs (one earned) on seven hits as she struck out three in the loss.

The Blue and Gold's runs came early in the contest.  In the bottom of the first, Erica Cordio (Leominster, MA) singled to center field and advanced on an Engineer miscue. The junior crossed home plate following one of Mahoney's hits.

In the third, junior Jaime Jacobs (Billerica, MA) then doubled down the left field line and scored after a rookie Carolyn Hassett (Charlton, MA) base-knock to right center for the 2-0 advantage.

While Coscia (5-6) would allow a man to reach in each of the next four frames, she would silence the Lancer bats by stranding all of them.

In the opener, WPI put up five runs in the top of the first as the visitors were highlighted by a two-run homer by sophomore Katherine Fitton (Lebanon, CT).

Freshman Nicole McDonough (Abington, MA) and Fekete led off the game with a pair of walks. After sophomore Erin Beaulieu (Bethany, CT) followed with a single, a throwing error allowed both to score. Fitton then followed with her third dinger of the season before the Engineers tallied their final run on a fielding error with two outs.

Worcester State sliced into the advantage with a pair of runs in the third. Cordio and junior Ashley Howe (Winchendon, MA) started off the frame with singles and then they moved into scoring position on a double steal. Cordio, however, would score the first Lancer run on a throwing error by the catcher after she swiped third. Howe later came around to score on a miscue in the infield.

In the top of the fourth, Fekete smacked a triple down the left field line to bring in the Engineers sixth run. Beaulieu led off the seventh with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by rookie Lauren DiFelice (Acushnet, MA) to push the Crimson and Gray advantage to 7-2.

Worcester State would then stage a furious rally with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Following back-to-back doubles by sophomore Hannah Everson (Methuen, MA) and classmate Alex Kerr (Franklin, MA), third-year Lauren Besozzi (Milford, MA) drove in Everson with an RBI single. After a base-knock to left by sophomore Aimee Lamoureux (East Brookfield, MA), the Lancers scored two runs on a wild throw back into the infield.

Mahoney would draw a walk to keep the inning alive, but third-year Erin Flaherty (Stoughton, MA) induced a pair of fly balls to left field ended the contest.

Flaherty (9-8) finished allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hit while she struck out five in the win.

Junior Marcy Rumrill (Orange, MA) shouldered the loss (1-1) as she surrendered the first five runs (four earned) on four hits. Sophomore Hannah Everson (Methuen, MA) fanned four over the final six innings of work allowing a pair of runs on five hits. The duo combined to issue three free passes.

At the plate, Howe and Besozzi were both 2-for-4. For the Engineers, Beaulieu, Fitton and Willer each recorded a pair of hits with Fitton recording two RBI and Beaulieu crossing home plate twice.

Worcester State jumps back into MASCAC action when it ventures to Bridgewater State on Friday for a twinbill beginning at 3 PM. WPI wraps up its season on Tuesday when Becker heads to the Class of 1893 field for a doubleheader at 3 o'clock.