Softball Falls to Worcester State in MASCAC Tournament Championship Round

WORCESTER, Mass. -- Top-seeded Worcester State University captured the 2016 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Softball Tournament title as the Lancers defeated second-seeded Bridgewater State University, 6-4 and 15-1, on Sunday at Rockwood Park.

Needing to win twice, Worcester stayed alive with a 6-4 win in eight innings to force a decisive winner-take-all championship game. The Lancers cruised to the 14-1 victory in five innings in game two to capture the tournament title.

In the opener, Taylor Daniels (Norco, Calif.) belted a three-run home run in the top of the first to stake the host Lancers to a 3-0 lead. Rachel Couto (Chelmsford, Mass.) added a solo shot in the second to extend the advantage to 4-0.

Tara McCann (Fall River, Mass.) cut the deficit in half with a two-run double in the third, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple.

The Bears tied the score with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. McCann doubled to lead off the frame and scored one out later on a base hit by Kacie Carvalho (Fairhaven, Mass.). Carvalho, who moved up to second on the throw home, advanced to third on an infield single by Morgan Cox (Dennis Port, Mass.) and scored the tying run on an RBI ground out off the bat of Kristyna Flaherty (Burlington, Mass.). With the go ahead run now standing at third base, Worcester catcher Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, R.I.) picked off the base runner to end the inning.

Neither team scored in the seventh as the game headed into extra innings.

In the eighth, back-to-back, two-out RBI singles by Salisbury and Hayley Terry (North Dighton, Mass.) gave the Lancers a 6-4 lead.

A pair of singles by Kelly McCarthy (Burlington, Mass.) and Cox put two runners on with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, but Worcester starter Meghan Rich (Chelsmford, Mass.) induced a harmless pop-out to end the game.

Rich went the distance to pick up the win as she allowed four runs on 12 hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

McCarthy (21-6) also went the distance in the circle for the Bears as she gave up six runs on 12 hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts.

Sara Pelletier (Leominster, Mass.) went 3-for-4 to pace the Lancers' 12-hit attack, while Salisbury (2-for-5) and Terry (2-for-4) finished with two hits apiece.

McCann went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run and two RBI to lead the BSU offense. Courtney Leddy (Saugus, Mass.) Carvalho and Cox also recorded muliple hits for the Bears as they each went 2-for-4 at the plate.

In the decisive second game, the Worcester offense exploded for 14 runs as the Lancers earned the decisive 14-1 win and the tournament championship.

In the bottom of the first, Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.) belted a two-run home run and Pelletier added an RBI double to stake Worcester to a 3-0 advantage.

Bridgewater answered with a run in the top of the second on an RBI single by Jackie Welch (Hubbardston, Mass.).

The Lancers, however, put the game out of reach with four runs in the third and seven more in the fourth to take the commanding 14-1 lead.

An RBI double by Salisbury and a two-run single by Terry highlighted Worcester's four-run third inning.

In the fourth, Salisbury and Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.) each connected for two-run doubles, while Terry added an RBI single. Daniels capped off the inning with a two-run home run.

Rich, the tournament MVP, improved to 12-5 on the season with the complete game effort. She gave up just one run on six hits with no walks and a strikeout.

Terry (3-for-3) and Despres (3-for-4) each finished with three hits to lead the Lancers' 17-hit attack. Salisbury (2-for-4), Smith-Porter (2-for-3), Couto (2-for-3) and Corrie Derosier (2-for-3) also recorded multiple hits.

Carvalho and Cox both went 2-for-2 to lead the BSU offense in the second game. Carvalho extended her hitting streak to 14 games with a base hit in the second inning. She would come around to score the Bears' only run of the game on Welch's RBI single.

Two BSU pitchers combined to give up 14 runs (13 earned) on 17 hits with three walks and a strikeout.

Worcester improves to 26-18-1 with the two wins, while Bridgewater ends the season with an overall mark of 25-15.

By virtue of the tournament championship, the Lancers will advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament for just the third time in program history. The NCAA Division III Softball Tournament Selection Show will be webcast live at www.ncaa.com on Monday afternoon at one.