Softball Falls to Babson and Tufts on Day Three of Spring Trip

CLERMONT, Fla. – The Worcester State University softball team dropped a doubleheader to Babson College and Tufts University by scores of 4-2 and 10-2, respectively, on their third day of spring play at Hancock Park on Tuesday, Mar. 21.

GAME ONE: Worcester State 2, Babson College 4 (8 inn.)

After coming back to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly from Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.), the Worcester State Lancers dropped a 4-2 decision in extra innings, as the International Tie Breaker went into place.

With a runner, Leslie Moore (Atkinson, N.H.), on second to start the top of the 8^th inning, Babson's Ashley Tango (Reading, Mass.) reached base on a single up the middle, and advanced to second as Worcester State stopped the Moore from scoring on a drill from centerfield to home plate. However, Moore ended up scoring on a fielder's choice, and then Tango scored on a sacrifice fly from Alex Corrigan (Middletown, N.J.) to advance the score to 4-2 in the Beavers' favor.

Worcester State had another opportunity to knot the score, however, Rachel Couto (Chelmsford, Mass.) was the sole hitter in the bottom of the 8^th and therefore, two runners were left on base as a ground out, pop up, and strikeout ended the game at 4-2.

Couto and Kaiulani Ennis (Swansea, Mass.) both went 2-for-3 on the occasion, and accounted for 4-of-6 Lancers hits on the morning.

Worcester State's senior pitcher, Kayla Humphrey (Wallingford, Conn.) started in the circle and pitched six innings, and allowing one run on three hits. The Lancers' Rachel Frisch (Worcester, Mass.) took over in the 5^th inning and allotted three runs (one unearned) in four innings pitched.

GAME TWO: Worcester State 2, Tufts University 10 (6 inn.)

The Lancers dropped their second game of the day to the Tufts University Jumbos 10-2 in a 6-inning meeting at Hancock Park.

The Jumbos held the Lancers to just four hits, one of which was a solo home run from Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.) in the top of the 4^th inning.  The three remaining hits came from Haley Scola (Worcester, Mass.), Becky Brandeberry (Phillipston, Mass.), and Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, R.I.) in the top of the 5^th inning, where the Lancers were able to score their second run of the game.

Tufts University's offense racked up 13 hits throughout the game to help score their 10 runs. The Jumbos took off in the 1^st inning scoring four runs on hits from Samantha Siciliano (Chatsworth, Calif.), Maggie Hoffman (Avon, Mass.), Raven Fournier (Springfield, Mass.), and Casey Maggiore (North Hampton, N.H.). They tallied two more in the bottom of the 2^nd, and then drove the runs up to 10 by the end of the 6^th inning to seal the win.

Worcester State's Mary McKeown (Shrewsbury, Mass.) suffered the loss in the circle for the Lancers, as she gave up six runs on five hits in the first two innings. Carly Zielinski (Manson, Mass.) came in relief in the 3^rd inning, while Frisch closed out the game in the 6^th.

The Lancers will take the day off tomorrow to rest, and then will resume play on Thursday (Mar. 23) with a repeat against Tufts, and another game against St. Olaf.