Lancers Come Away With Victory over Bison

Worcester, MA- Worcester State was coming into this game splitting their last matchups, as they faced off against Nichols College.

Game 1

The top of the first inning was tough for the Lancers as Nichols scored three runs on a single by Erin Gour, a double by Bailey Littlefield, and a single by Riley Chartier to make the score 3-0.  Lancers pitcher sophomore Sarah Gosselin (Charlton, MA) settled down after that as she held Nichols at bay.  In the top of the  fourth inning junior Emily Bartlett (Lowell, MA) came in for the Lancers and did a great job as well until the top of the 7th inning when Nichols Ava Slavinsky got a base hit to drive in a run to extend the Nichols lead to 4-0.  The Lancers didn't go out quietly as in the bottom of the 7th inning sophomore Emma Lanpher (Charlton, MA) hit a base hit with the bases loaded to drive in two runs and the next batter first year Morgan Keefe (Dracut, MA)  hit a sacrifice fly to right field to cut the deficit to 4-3.  Sadly the Lancers came up short as with the tying run on first they grounded out back to the pitcher to end Game 1 4-3 in favor of Nichols College.  

Game 2

Coming off a loss in Game 1, Worcester State was looking for a win in Game 2.  The game started similarly to Game 1, as Nichols took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Erin Gour.  In the top of the third inning Nichols scored again with an RBI single by Bailey Littlefield to make it 2-0.  However in the bottom half of the 3rd Worcester State struck back with two runs of their own on a two rbi single by junior Lauren Dube (Leominster, MA) to tie the game 2-2.  In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Lancers took the lead on an RBI single by Lanpher to make it 3-2.  The score stayed that way until the top of the seventh inning when Nichols tied the game on a single by Jayda Cesar to make it 3-3 which meant this game was going into extra innings.  In the top of the 8th, Nichols came back and took the lead with a Bailey Littlefield single to give them the lead 4-3.  However, in the bottom half of the game, the Lancers would strike, with a sacrifice bunt by Dube, Worcester State tied the game 4-4 and the next batter, senior Naraylee Baez (Northborough, MA) walked it off for the Lancers, as she hit an RBI double, to give Worcester State the win 5-4 in extra innings.

Senior Jen Thorburn (Groton, MA)  started this game and went 4 innings, allowing 2 runs and striking out 1 and junior Emily Bartlett (Lowell, MA) was the winning pitcher, throwing the final 4 innings, allowing 2 runs and striking out 4.