Softball Splits MASCAC Doubleheader With Fitchburg State

Fitchburg, MA --- Worcester State and Fitchburg State split their MASCAC softball series this afternoon at Coolidge Park. Junior Meghan Rich (Chelmsford, MA) twirled a five-hit shutout to help pace a 4-0 victory in the opener before Falcon senior Brittany Whiting (Sharon, MA) blanked the Lancers, 3-0, in the nightcap.

The Blue and Gold (13-5, 5-1 MASCAC) took over the early 1-0 edge on an RBI single by junior Sara Pelletier (Leominster, MA) with two men down in the top of the second.

WSU tacked on three more runs in the very next stanza when run producing singles by junior Hayley Terry (N. Dighton, MA) and senior Taylor Hanley (Wilmington, MA) sandwiched a squeeze bunt by Rich, which scored another tally.

With the 4-0 on the board, Rich was stellar over her final four frames of work as she set down nine of her last ten batters.

Rich (7-0) ended the game fanning three and walking one in her fourth complete game. The victory also marked the fourth time on the campaign that she has blanked an opponent and her first that has gone seven-innings.

Fitchburg State had runners on base, but failed to score over the first three innings of play as they left four in scoring position – including runners on second and third as two outs were on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third.

Falcon sophomore Galen Kerr (Concord, MA) absorbed the setback. Kerr (6-3) permitted four earned runs on eight hits to go with two walks and a pair of strikeouts. Kerr did retire 13 of the last 15 batters she faced to keep the Lancers bats at-bay.

Sophomore Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, RI), Rich and Terry all had two base-knocks each to pace an attack that outhit their counterparts, 8-5.

The hosts snapped a scoreless contest in the bottom of the sixth when Fitchburg State pushed across a trio of runs in the frame.

The Falcons strung together four straight hits and scored the runs on an RBI double by Kerr and a two-run two-bagger by freshman Emily Comtois (Windham, NH).

With runners on the corners, FSU looked poised to score again, but junior Marissa Avanzato (Pittsfield, MA) got freshman Jill Schultze (Winchendon, MA) to line into a double play to end the threat.

In the top of the seventh, Pelletier had an opportunity to try to force extra innings as runners were on first and second, however, she flied out to end the game.  

The Lancers originally started off the contest when Salisbury and senior Katie Storro (Leominster, MA) both singled to begin the top of the first. Whiting though had other plans as she dug in and induced consecutive pop-ups and recorded a strikeout to end the inning.

Whiting silenced a hot line-up that had been hitting at a .324 clip entering the doubleheader. Whiting allowed just three base runners for the remainder of the nightcap with perfect frames in four of her last six innings of work.

Overall, Whiting (2-3) recorded six punch outs, three hits and one walk in the win.

Avanzato (0-1) surrendered three earned runs while she scattered nine hits as she had one strikeout and one free pass.

Kerr, Comtois and sophomore Gita Ferreira (Grafton, MA) all had two hits apiece to pace a batting order that outhit their counterparts, 9-3.

Both squads host non-conference foes in the next two days. Worcester State takes on Nichols in a 5 PM twin bill at 5 PM while Fitchburg State entertains Mitchell at 3 PM tomorrow.