Softball Swept by Worcester State

WORCESTER, Mass. --- Junior Hannah Everson (Methuen, MA) pitched the first perfect game in Worcester State history and also picked up the win in the second game to help propel the Lancers to 1-0 and 2-1 triumphs over Bridgewater State in MASCAC softball action this afternoon at Rockwood Park. 

With the two victories, Worcester State claims second place in the MASCAC as their record now stands at 16-14 overall and 8-2 in the conference.  Coming into the contest tied atop the standings with Salem State, the Bears fall to 23-10 on the year and slip to 7-3 in league play for third overall.

Everson began the first game convincingly as she struck-out five batters in the first two innings, including three consecutive in the second frame. 

Opposite Everson was BSU sophomore Amber White (Middleboro, MA), who held the Lancers to a pair of base-knocks in the first two innings. 

From the top of the third inning until the bottom of the sixth, both pitchers would battle back-and-forth as they retired 21 combined batters in a row. Everson also fanned the side in the fifth inning.

The Lancers were able to break the scoreless tie in the sixth frame.  After two groundouts began the inning, sophomore Carolyn Hassett (Charlton, MA) hit a liner up the middle to get the rally started. 

Junior Aimee Lamoureux (East Brookfield, MA) then hit a flare-single into shallow right field that moved Hassett over to third base.  During the next at-bat, Bridgewater State tried to pick off Hassett at third base, but the ball was thrown too high allowing her to score the game's only run. 

With the 1-0 lead in the top of the seventh, Everson completed the historical event with a pair of strikeouts and a grounder back to circle for the third and final out. 

Everson (10-5) finished the game going seven complete innings recorded a Worcester State career-best 12 punch-outs. 

For BSU, White (12-5) pitched six strong innings, scatted four hits and allowed the lone unearned run.  She also had five strikeouts and walked no one. 

Hassett had the only multi-hit game as she went 2-for-3 with one run scored.  There has never been a perfect game recorded in the baseball record book.

In the second contest, the Lancers looked to pick up right where they left off. 

After senior Erica Cordio (Leominster, MA) doubled to begin the bottom of the first inning, Hassett followed with a safety to centerfield putting runners on the corners with no outs.

WSU failed to execute the sacrifice bunt in the next at-bat as the ball was snagged and Hassett was doubled up at first giving BSU two quick outs.  Junior Meghan Dunn (Colchester, CT) struck out the next batter to end the scoring threat, keeping the scoreless tie.

Bridgewater State pushed across the game's first run in the top of the third inning. 

With one out, freshman classmates Jocelyn Bettencourt (Plymouth, MA) and Jessica Laudati (Berkly, MA), and senior Stephanie Burns (North Attleboro, MA) reached on three consecutive singles to load the bases before junior Jennifer Shaw (Brockton, MA) delivered an RBI single to put the Bears up by a score.

The Lancers answered right back in the bottom of the frame as senior Lauren Besozzi (Milford, MA) hit her first home run of the season over the left field fence tying the score at 1-1. 

Bridgewater State promptly responded by juiced the bases in the top of the fourth off of Everson, who came in relief to begin the inning. But, she would get out of the jam by bookending a pair of plays at home plays between a strikeout.

Worcester State then came back with what would prove to be the game-winning run in the bottom of the frame.

Freshman Kaitlyn Storro (Leominster, MA) drove home senior Jamie Jacobs (Billerica, MA) on a single on an infield single with two outs. Jacobs had led off the inning with a safety and moved into scoring position on consecutive sacrifices.

The Bears looked to get a rally going in the top of the seventh inning as Shaw hit a double into the left-center gap with two men down, but Everson struck her final two batters to clinch the win.

With her second victory of the day, Everson moves to 11-5 on the season as she pitched four innings of relief and allowed no runs on three hits.  She also walked one batter while striking out four. 

Roy pitched the first three innings, surrendering five hits and one earned run in the no-decision.

Dunn (11-5) pitched well for Bridgewater State as she went six innings, scattered six hits and allowed two earned runs.  She also issued a pair of free passes and punched out four. 

Shaw had a great second game at the plate as she went 3-for-4 with a double and one RBI.  She was the only multi-hit player in the nightcap. 

The Bears held the 8-6 edge in the hitting department, but also left 10 runners on base to Worcester State's five. 

Both teams continue MASCAC play on Tuesday at home as the Lancers host Fitchburg State at 5 PM while Bridgewater State plays Mass Maritime Academy at 3 o'clock.