Thorburn Throws Two Hitter, Gasbarro Goes Yard in MCLA Sweep

Worcester, MA- The Lancers (14-8)(2-0) traveled to North Adams to play the MCLA Trailblazers (6-12)(0-2) for a double-header of MASCAC games as the Lancers put in the effort to try and stay undefeated in conference play.

FINAL Lancers, 7 MCLA, 3

Starting in the first game for the Lancers was junior Emily Bartlett (Lowell, MA) (4-3). Bartlett entered today's first matchup with 12 appearances and a MASCAC-leading 69 strikeouts. She also is tied for first in saves in the MASCAC with two. On the mound for the Trailblazers was sophomore Lidia Flores (Menifee, CA) (2-5).

GAME NOTES:

Bartlett would get the win in game one pitching 5.1 innings allowing four hits and three runs, two of which were earned. She added four strikeouts to her MASCAC-leading total. Sophomore Sarah Gosselin (Charlton, MA) came on in relief with 1.2 innings of work with zero hits and two strikeouts. Four batters had two hits including sophomore Abigail Koziol (Lunenburg, MA), first year Bella Gasbarro (Leominster, MA), first year Bailey Tammaro (Fitchburg, MA), and junior Lauren Dube (Leominster, MA). Dube and senior Jacqui Shwalm (Billerica, MA) both recorded doubles in the game with Gasbarro reaching third on a triple. Koziol, Gasbarro, Bartlett, Dube, and Shwalm all earned one RBI. Showing discipline at the plate, four batters including sophomore Emma Lanpher (Charlton, MA), first year Morgan Keefe (Dracut, MA), Bartlett, and Schwalm all walked once in this game. 

RECAP:

The first hit of the game would happen in the bottom of the second inning by Flores. With a person on first and one out, there was a ball hit to center fielder, Tammaro,  that was caught, who then made a tremendous defensive play getting an OF assist, throwing Flores out on the basepaths. 

The third inning is when the Lancer's bats would warm up on their cold travel day to Western Massachusetts. Dube got the first hit for the Lancers with a double to center field. Shwalm and Lanpher would walk after Dube to load the bases with one out. Unfortunately, Worcester was not able to take advantage of the great situation and left the bases loaded to end the inning.

Bartlett would get her strikeout groove back in the bottom of the third, punching out the first two MCLA batters she faced. After Bartlett's 1-2-3 inning, the Lancer bats used the momentum they created in the previous inning to haunt the Trailblazers. Koziol led off the top of the fourth with a single to center field. Koziol is currently fourth in MASCAC leaders in batting average (.475). Freshman Carisa Andrews (Medford, MA) and her speed were called upon as a pinch-runner for Koziol. Gasbarro would not let MCLA off the hook as she smashed a triple to right field and put the Lancers on the board picking up an RBI with Andrews scoring from first making it 1-0. Gasbarro comes into the game fourth among MASCAC RBI leaders (21). With no outs in the top of the fourth, Bartlett showed her offensive skills with a single to right field, scoring Gasbarro to make the score 2-0 Lancers. Tammaro proceeded to join the action with a single to left field. She showed off her speed by advancing to second on a stolen base and then was able to move to third on a wild pitch. With Tammaro in prime scoring position, Shwalm made the game 3-0 after a double to left field giving her the RBI as Tammaro scored.

Bartlett came into the bottom of the fourth cruising as she had only let one hit up until this inning. With two outs in the inning, MCLA would respond to the Lancer's run-productive half-inning with a solo home run by freshman Ella Staffier (Marshfield, MA) making it a 3-1 ballgame. Flores walked afterward and was taken off the bases as freshman Natalie Rich (Waterford, NY) pinch-ran for her. Kristie Zator (Windham, CT) doubled to left field for MCLA scoring Rich and giving the game a score of 3-2. A pass ball advanced Zator to third, but Bartlett regained composure to end the inning with a flyout. 

The Lancers in the top of the fifth looked to add insurance runs to further their lead in North Adams. Keefe walked when freshman Emma Lapoint (Westfield, MA) advanced Keefe to second on a sacrifice hit to the third baseman. Koziol, back in the game, was able to get her second hit of the game this time with the reward of an RBI as Keefe scored from second on a single making it 4-2. Gasbarro joined the two-hit club with Koziol as she was able to follow up with a single of her own setting up Worcester for more offensive damage. The MCLA manager had seen enough of Flores as the Lancers chased her out of the game and MCLA would bring in freshman Hailey Peabody (West Springfield, MA) to relieve. It wasn't much better for Peabody with both Koziol and Gasbarro advancing off a wild pitch from the new pitcher and walking Bartlett for the bases to be loaded with one out. In a wild sequence, Tammaro would reach base off of an error by the second baseman allowing Koziol and Gasbarro to score making it 6-2. Bartlett would be thrown out at home during the play leaving the Lancers with two outs and Dube at the plate. Dube would be the third member of the two-hit club this game as she singled to left field for an RBI making it a 7-2 ballgame.   

When Bartlett came back out in the fifth it was to find Worcester themselves in trouble. After allowing a walk, Bartlett bounced back, getting a quick two outs where a ball was hit to center field where there was an error, scoring a pinch-runner and making it 7-3 and leaving runners on second and third. Unbothered, Bartlett locked in and shut down and got Peabody to fly out to end the inning. 

Lanpher led the top of the sixth off with a single, which would land her on third base with two sacrifice hits advancing her. With two outs, the Lancers weren't able to capitalize off the chance, stranding Lanpher on third. 

The Trailblazers would make noise of their own in the bottom of the sixth as E. Staffier led off with a walk and stole second. Rich would follow with a walk as well. Zator reached base on a fielder's choice as SS Lanpher forced the runner advancing to third out. Bartlett would then exit the game after a walk to load the bases for MCLA. Gosselin got the call and came in for relief in the middle of the inning with one out. It was light work for Gosselin getting a grounder to third as Gasbarro threw home for the force out at the plate. Gosselin dug in and struck out a batter for the third out in a high-pressure situation.

Gosselin shined as she came out to finish the game. With the score 7-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Gosselin had no issues with the Trailblazer's bats. She kept them quiet with an easy inning as she went three up and three down, adding a strikeout to her stat line. 

Final, Lancers 9, MCLA 1

In the second game of the doubleheader, Senior Jen Thorburn (Groton, MA)(4-3) took the mound for the Lancers. Thorburn enters the game fifth in wins in the MASCAC while also being fourth in the conference in ERA (3.00). She is opposed by S. Williams who takes the ball for MCLA.

GAME NOTES:

Thorburn was able to shut down MCLA in her start. She allowed one run off of two hits, one of those hits being a homerun. Gasbarro added to her home run total with a solo blast in the top of the seventh. Koziol would be the only Lancer with two hits in this one as the Lancers had 9 total hits. Tamarro, Freshman Jayden Kelly (Tyngsboro, MA), and senior Rachel Sinclair (Westminster, MA) each had a double. Tamarro led the team with two RBI. 

RECAP:

Thorburn would start the game off with a strikeout as the batter watched the ball go right by. Thorburn had a clean inning only facing the first three batters she saw. At the top of the second, Koziol led off and continued her offensive display today with a single to center field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. The Lancers wouldn't be able to pounce and went down quietly with the next three hitters all getting out.

MCLA would want their turn to score first in one of the games and it came in the bottom of the second. With one out, freshman Kristie Zator (Windham, CT) muscled a solo home run off of Thorburn to make it a 1-0 game. Thorburn settled down and brushed the home run off retiring the next two Trailblazer batters to get herself out of the inning.

The Lancers responded to the HR by MCLA with some offensive production of their own at the top of the third. With two outs, Lanpher singled to center field. Once again taking advantage of MCLAs defensive struggles, Tammaro put the ball into play and reached third base on an error, ultimately scoring Lanpher to tie the game 1-1.

The veteran senior pitcher Thorburn would show why she is at the top of the MASCAC in ERA and wins. She shut down the Trailblazers, not allowing a baserunner for the next three half-innings.

Worcester State would decide to open the scoring up in the top of the fifth. Kelly sparked the huge inning with a double to center field. Senior Naraylee Baez (Northborough, MA) followed with a single and made it runners on first and third with one out. Lanpher hit a sacrifice to the pitcher scoring Kelley and advancing Baez to third making it a 2-1 game. Baez, with her awareness and speed, advanced to third base on a pass ball. More defensive struggles for MCLA resulted in a run for the Lancers as Tammaro reached first on an error and scored Baez from third making it 3-1. Sinclair raked a double to center field, picking up an RBI and scoring Tammaro to make it 4-1. MCLA coach would need to go to the bullpen again today and called upon sophomore Gabriella Cozzolino (Hudson, NY). Once again, the change did not make a difference for MCLA as Koziol hit a single and picked up an RBI to leave her mark in North Adams bringing the game score to 5-1.   

In the top of the sixth in a 5-1 ballgame, freshman Amanda Adamuska (Dudley, MA) pinch-hit for Keefe and didn't take her opportunity for granted as she reached base on a single to give the Lancers a spark. Freshman Ava Bogosian (Worcester, MA) reached first with a sac hit, but Adamuska was able to advance to second on an error by MCLA. A pass by brought both of the runners into scoring position with no outs. Kelly followed with good plate vision walking. MCLA would make a pitching change by bringing in their game-one starter Lidia Flores. With Baez at bat, she earned an RBI while reaching first on a fielder's choice. Bogosian was thrown out at third on the fielder's choice leaving runners on first and second with one out. Lanpher then also put the ball into play, reaching first on a fielder's choice with Kelly being thrown out at third and Baez advancing to second with two outs. Tammaro, adding to her big day, powered a double to pick up two RBI as Lanpher and Baez both crossed the plate. The score would be 8-1 at the end of the sixth.

Entering the top of the seventh inning, Gasbarro was not content with a seven-run lead; it made it known with a solo shot giving her a team-leading third homerun on the year. Thorburn came out in the bottom of the inning showing her dominance over this game by making it a 1-2-3 inning. Thorburn was incredible in this game giving up only two hits and a run off of the home run in the second inning. The second hit came for MCLA in the fourth, just showing you that she was ready to complete the sweep of the Trailblazers. 

The Lancers improve to (16-8)(4-0) with MCLA falling to (6-14)(0-4). Worcester State's next game will be away at Rhode Island College (7-11) Thursday, April 13 for a doubleheader that begins at 4 pm.