Rich Headlines All-MASCAC Softball Team, Cote Named Coach Of The Year
Westfield, MA --- Junior teammates Meghan Rich, Hayley Terry and Sara Pelletier were all selected to the All-MASCAC First-team in a vote by the leagues head coaches last week as announced by conference publicist Emily Diekelmann.
Westfield, MA --- Junior teammates Meghan Rich (Chelmsford, MA), Hayley Terry (N. Dighton, MA) and Sara Pelletier (Leominster, MA) were all selected to the All-MASCAC First-team in a vote by the leagues head coaches last week as announced by conference publicist Emily Diekelmann.
Rich earned MASCAC Pitcher of the Year accolades while head coach Michelle Cote was lauded by her peers as the MASCAC Champions Choice Coach of the Year.
After posting a remarkable 15-2 record with 50 strikeouts in 96.0 innings, Rich becomes the first MASCAC Pitcher of the Year since Hannah Everson shared the accolade three seasons ago. Rich topped the conference in wins, earned run average (1.53) while she tied for second in complete games (11).
It was against MASCAC opponents that Rich made her mark with a 10-1 slate, completing nine of those games (seven shutouts) as she only permitted six earned runs. In addition to fanning 35 batters in 68.0 frames of work, she limited opponents to a meager .233 batting average.
Terry was sensational at shortstop for the Lancers this season as she led the squad in hitting with a .356 clip to go with 18 runs, six doubles and a pair of three-baggers. Her batting average is currently tenth in the MASCAC and she is sixth with 21 runs driven in. Terry also logged multiple hits in 12 out of her 33 contests on the diamond.
Pelletier enjoyed a solid campaign, starting 28 games in left field, while putting up a .299 batting average with 29 base-knocks, 16 runs, 12 RBI and three doubles.
It was in league action that Pelletier shined as she clubbed .381 overall (16-for-42) and she made 11 trips to home plate with three swipes. To help the Lancers sweep a crucial series against MCLA for the league title in the final weekend of the year, Pelletier chipped in with four hits and she scored three of her squads four runs the doubleheader.
In her second full season as head coach, Cote helped guide her club to their ninth MASCAC Regular Season title and the top seed in this week's conference playoffs. The Lancers wrapped up their campaign at 23-13 overall to go with an 11-3 mark versus league opponents.
The Blue and Gold will play the winner between fourth seed Westfield State and fifth-seeded Salem State on Friday in a 4 PM matchup. Win or lose, WSU hosts the rest of the weekend at Rockwood Park as the number one seed.
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