Softball To Play Rhode Island College in Opening Round Of NCAA Division III Tournament

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Indianapolis, IN --- Worcester State has been selected as a fifth seed and will play host and #4 Rhode Island College in the opening round of the double-elimination NCAA Division III Softball Tournament on Thursday in Providence at 12 PM. The contest will be a rematch from a twinbill earlier in the season that saw the Anchorwomen sweep the Lancers, 3-2 and 2-1.

WSU, who brings a school record 28-9 record into the competition, earned the spot in the NCAA's by virtue of winning the MASCAC Tournament's automatic bid yesterday with a 2-1 triumph over Westfield State. The crown was the first-ever conference tournament championship for the Blue and Gold as they also shared the regular season title with the Owls.

The Lancers are making their second NCAA Tournament appearance. They last faced Eastern Connecticut in a best-of-three series in 1987. The Warriors took the first two games to advance to the College World Series.

Worcester State is led by MASCAC Player of the Year Michaella Mahoney (Shrewsbury, MA) who has overall record of 16-2 with a sensational 1.07 earned run average. Mahoney has 122 strikeouts in 117.2 innings while seven of her 16 complete games have been for shutouts.

Mahoney is also quick with the bat as she is hitting for a .402 clip with seven homers and 38 RBIs.

Sophomore Kylene Pease (Ashland, MA) is also hitting .391 with a squad-best 45 base-knocks while classmate Hannah Everson (Methuen, MA) has a 9-3 record in the circle with 81 strikeouts in 82 innings.

The Anchorwomen posted an overall mark of 33-11 and earned an at-large bid to the tournament. RIC finished in a three-way tie for second and they lost to top seed in the New England regional Eastern Connecticut in the Little East Conference championship game, 7-1.

Rhode Island College is the only at-large team in the field, while every other team won their respective conference tournament. They are making their fifth appearance in the last six years.

Sophomore Kayla Jandreau (Plainville, CT) propels the Anchorwomen with a team-best .375 batting average, with 39 runs, two homers, 23 RBIs and she is 19-for-23 on the base paths. Senior Amanda Perry (New Bedford, MA) also is batting .375 with a squad-high 29 runs driven in.

The staff ace is senior Amanda Berard (Swansea, MA) who has a 13-5 record, a 1.05 ERA with six shutouts and five saves. Berard has fanned 128 in 133.2 innings. Junior Kayla Puccini (N. Dighton, AM) is also 11-4 with a 1.78 ERA and second-year Emily Johnson (W. Kingston, RI) is 9-2 with a 2.10 ERA.

The winner of the contest against the Lancers and Rhode Island College will play the victor of the #1 Warriors and eighth-seeded Husson at 10 AM on Wednesday. The other bracket includes #3 Endicott playing sixth-seeded St. Joseph's of Maine at 2 PM while second-seeded Coast Guard takes on #7 Lesley at 4 PM.