Softball Sweeps On Day Three Of Florida Trip Versus Southern Maine, Macalester

Clermont, FL --- Sophomore Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, RI) was a home-run shy of the cycle in an 7-6 victory over Southern Maine and freshman Julie Melanson (Gardner, MA) picked up her first collegiate win win over Macalester in non-conference softball action on Tuesday at Hancock Park.

Senior Katie Storro (Leominster, MA) and junior Jillian Witkowski (Leicester, MA) both logged three hits each in the opener for the Lancers to pace a 16 hit attack while sophomore Rachel Couto (Chelmsford, MA) and junior Hayley Terry (N. Dighton, MA) added two base-knocks each.

Trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the third, Storro singled in Salisbury, who reached on a triple to right field.

USM (7-5) soon took over the 4-1 edge on the back of a three-run homer by junior Mary Caron (Lewiston, ME) in the fourth, but the Blue and Gold batted around and rallied for five scores in the bottom of the sixth.

For the Lancers (5-1), Terry underscored the frame with a two-run singles while senior Taylor Hanley (Wilmington, MA), Salisbury, Storro each had run producing at-bats.

Southern Maine took advantage of an infield miscue by the shortstop to score a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to threaten with runners on the corners, however, junior Marissa Avanzato (Pittsfield, MA) nailed down her second career save and the WSU win.

Sophomore Kayla Humphrey (Wallingford, CT) improved to 2-1 overall in the victory. Humphrey permitted four runs (one earned) on five hits. Avanzato and Humphrey both issued one walk each and did not record a strikeout.

In the nightcap against Malacaster (5-4), Worcester State faced another early deficit the Blue and Gold slowly chipped away at a five-run hole in the top of the first. Couto made the score 5-2 in the bottom of the same frame with a double to left field.

After the Scots got a run back in the top of the second, Hanley sparked the comeback with a solo homer to lead off the second for the first of her career.

In the very next frame, WSU made it a 6-5 contest by taking advantage of an infield miscue. Couto touched home plate on a throwing error by the second baseman and then freshman Danielle Cacciola (Tewksbury, MA) had an RBI single to score Hanley. 

Worcester State registered the equalizer in the bottom of the fourth on a run scoring ground out by Storro.

The Lancers then took the 8-6 edge in the fifth for their first lead of the contest on a two-run single by junior Sara Pelletier (Leominster, MA) with two men down.

The Scots did push across one more score to keep the Blue and Gold on their toes entering the last of the seventh, but junior Meghan Rich (Chelmsford, MA) slammed the door in a perfect frame for her first career save.

Melanson (1-0) hurled five solid innings of relief yielding two runs (one earned) while scattering five hits with three strikeouts and she did not walk a batter.

There were no multi-hitters in a Lancer line-up that out slugged their counterparts, 8-7.

WSU will take on Lancaster Bible on Thursday at 1 PM before facing off against Concordia (WI) in a 3 o'clock first pitch at the NTC Softball Complex.