Softball Splits on Final Day in Florida

CLERMONT, Fla. – Despite falling 11-1 to Bowdoin in their first game of the day, the Worcester State University softball team wrapped up their spring play in Florida with an 11-0 shutout over the Thomas Terriers on Friday.

GAME ONE: Bowdoin 11, Worcester State 1 (5 inn.)

The Bowdoin Polar Bears served the Lancers their eighth consecutive loss Friday afternoon as they scored 11 runs on 12 hits and one Worcester State error.

Clare McCarthy (Mercer Island, Wash.) led the squad, going 3-for-3 with two homers and 5-RBI. Marisa O'Toole (Scarborough, Maine) and Allison Rutz (Essex Junction, Vt.) both batted 2-for-3 on the occasion, while O'Toole picked up a double.

The Lancers only picked up one run on four hits. The four hits came from Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, R.I.), Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.), Kaci Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.), and Corrie Derosier (Shrewsbury, Mass.).

Bowdoin's Emily Griffin (Tucson, Ariz.) picked up her fourth win in the circle in her 5-inning performance, striking out six batters. Worcester State's starting pitcher, Smith-Porter, was tabbed the loss in 1.2 innings pitched.

The score remained 0-0 after the 1^st inning. However, Bowdoin had a monstrous 2^nd inning and scored nine runs on six hits and one error to pull away from the Lancers. They tallied two additional runs in the 3^rd and 4^th innings, from where the Lancers spoiled the shutout in the top of the 5^th when Panarelli scored on an error.

GAME TWO: Worcester State 11, Thomas (Me.) 0 (5 inn.)

The Lancers turned the tables around and mercied their second opponents of the day, Thomas, in an 11-0 5-inning shutout, to snap their 8-game losing streak.

Worcester State's Mary McKeown (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Kayla Humphrey (Wallingford, Conn.) pitched for a combined shutout, holding the Terriers to just four hits on the day. Katie Taylor (Lebanon, Me.), Syndey LeBourveau (Jericho, Vt.), Lexi Colpak (Franklin, N.H.), and Kayla Bess (Madison, Maine) recorded the hits for Thomas.

Worcester State's bats were swinging as they racked up 15 hits in the four innings batted. Five batters (Courtney Salisbury, Haley Scola, Sydney Despres, Corrie Derosier, and Kaiulani Ennis) registered two hits apiece on the occasion. Despres and Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague) hit homers, while Kaci Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Salisbury marked a triple and a double, respectively.

The Lancers scored two runs in the bottom of the 1^st inning, and then tallied another run in the bottom of the 2^nd to advance their lead to 3-0.

Two powerful innings in the 3^rd and 4^th innings led to the 11-0 shutout.

Derosier opened the 3^rd inning reaching base on a bunt. Panarelli then scored her home on a triple to right center. Two more runs came in on a wild pitch and a stolen base, from where Despres wrapped up the 3^rd inning with a home run to left field.

With two outs on the board in the 4^th inning, the Lancers top of the order came up and scored four runs on five hits. Salisbury and Scola reached base on a single and double, respectively, and eventually scored on an error and wild pitch. Next, Despres reached base on a single and Smith-Porter assisted her in rounding the bases with her first home run of the season, increasing the score to 11-0.

With today's split, the Lancers move to 2-8 overall, and look forward to New England play as they travel to UMass Dartmouth on Thursday, March 30 for a 3:30 p.m. start.