Lancers Sweep MASCAC Opener from Vikings

SALEM, Mass. – Emily Bartlett (Lowell, Mass.) pitched a three-hitter to lead Worcester State to 5-0 game one win over Salem State in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field. Jen Thorburn (Groton, Mass.) pitched five solid innings in game two, allowing three runs on four hits in five innings of work as the Lancers completed the sweep with a 9-3 victory. Worcester State is now 7-9 and 2-0 in the MASCAC while the Vikings go to 1-13 and 0-2.

Bartlett allowed three singles and walked five with four strikeouts in improving to 3-4 on the year. Bartlett and Salem State starter Emily Carter (Warwick. R.I.) both pitched well, allowing just one hit combined over the first three innings. 

Game One: Worcester State 5, Salem State 0

Worcester State went ahead in the third 3-0, utilizing the bunt and a pair of Salem State errors to take the lead. A lead-off walk to Bartlett and a sacrifice bunt set up the first Lancers' run as a double steal scored Bartlett. An error and back-to-back bunt singles plated Emma Lanpher (Charleton, Mass.) with the second run before Laurren Dube (Leominster, Mass.) added the third run on a sacrifice fly. A wild pitch and passed ball in the sixth and seventh innings produced the final two runs for Worcester State as the Lancers won 5-0.

Lanpher finished with a hit and two runs scored for Worcester State. Carter took the loss, allowing five runs – two earned on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts.

Game Two: Worcester State 9, Salem State 3

Worcester State opened up a 7-0 lead, highlighted by a five-run third inning. Naraylee Baez (Northborough, Mass.) and Lanpher plated two runs in the second on RBI singles. The Lancers sent nine batters to the plate in the third, collecting five hits in the inning, highlighted by a run-scoring single by Rachel Sinclair (Westminster, Mass.) and a two-run single by Lanpher.

Salem state scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth as Sydney Chiasson (Hudson, Mass.) singled to left, driving in the first run before Dawn Eisnor followed with a two-run single, making the score 7-3.

A two-run double by Lauren Dube (Leominster, Mass.) in the sixth gave the Lancers a six-run cushion, 9-3 as Molly Glynn (Abington, Mass.) closed out the win with two scoreless innings.

Thorburn struck out eight and walked two to even her record at 3-3. Hogan, went the distance, allowing nine runs – four earned on 15 hits with a walk and strikeout.

Dube went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run for Worcester State. Chiasson and Eisnor each went 1-for-3 for the Vikings, accounting for all three RBI.