Worcester State Softball Splits on Opening Day

CLERMONT, Fla. – The Worcester State University softball team split on their opening day of the Spring Games at the NTC Softball Complex, earning their first win of the season against Bates College early morning, and then dropping their second game of the day to Tufts University.

GAME ONE: Worcester State 12, Bates College 10

Worcester State was started out their season with some momentum as they scored four runs in the 1^st inning, five runs in the 2^nd inning, and three runs in the 3^rd to take the early 12-1 advantage over Bates College Sunday morning.

Though, Bates responded with a powerful 4^th inning, scoring seven runs on seven hits and two Lancer errors, to make it a 12-8 ballgame.

After closing the gap to four, the Bobcats chipped away at their deficit, as they scored another run in the 5^th and another in the 6^th. Though, Bates came up just two short in the 7^th inning, scoring no runs to give the win to the Lancers for their first of the 2016 campaign.

Worcester State's Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.) and Taylor Daniels (Norco, Calif.) each went 3-for-4 with three RBI apiece, as all three of Despres' hits marked as doubles. Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, R.I.) and Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.) both went a perfect 2-for-2 and scored two and three runs, respectively. Kayla Humphrey (Wallingford, Conn.) registered the win on the mound, as she pitched seven complete innings and struck out three batters, only allowing one earned run on the morning.

For the Bobcats, Mimi Crowley (Barnstable, Mass.) recorded the loss, pitching four innings for Bates. Offensively, Madison Fox (Denver, Colo.) went a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate while Karen Lockhart (E. Greenwich, R.I.) registered the teams' only double on the afternoon.

GAME TWO: Worcester State 0, Tufts University 7

The Tufts University Jumbos shutout the Lancers in their second game of the afternoon, as they scored seven runs on 11 hits and one Worcester State error.

With the Lancers up to bat first, it looked as if they were going to have a promising inning as they loaded the bases with no outs on singles from Sara Pelletier (Leominster, Mass.), Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, R.I.), and Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.). Though, the Jumbos were able to get themselves out of the hole, forcing two Lancers' popups, and a strikeout at the plate.

It wasn't until the bottom of the 3^rd inning that either team was able to get on the scoreboard. The Jumbos scored two runs on three hits from Maggie Hoffman (Avon, Mass.), Sarah Finnegan (Weymouth, Mass.), and Michelle Chisdak (Vestall, NY).

Tufts added to their 2-0 lead in the 4^th when four runs crossed the plate on six hits, including a triple to right field from Chisdak.  The Jumbos scored their last and final run in the bottom of the 5^th when Finnegan hit a sacrifice fly to score Isabel Smokelin (Boxborough, Mass.) at the plate.

Finnegan went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI against the Lancers' pitching staff. Cassie Ruscz (Wolcott, Conn.), Christian Cain (Houston, Texas), and Chisdak each went 2-for-3 to assist in the seven runs scored.

Jumbos' pitcher, Erica County (Arlington, Mass.) was on the mound for a complete game, as she struck out six and didn't allot the Lancers any runs to cross the plate. Lancers' starting pitcher, Meghan Rich (Chelmsford, Mass.) absorbed the loss, pitching four innings and giving up six runs on 21 batters faced. Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.) relieved Rich on the mound, pitching for two innings and allotting the Jumbos two hits and one run.

Worcester State's Despres and Taylor Daniels (Norco, Calif.) both registered a .500 batting average against the Jumbos, as Daniels recorded her 2^nd single of the day.

The Lancers return to action tomorrow with a triple-header starting at 1 p.m. at Hancock Park, also located in Clermont, Fla. The opponents for Monday's games are Southern Maine, Hood, and St. Norbert.