After an exciting afternoon of softball, MCLA and Worcester State were victorious in extra inning contests this afternoon to advance to the winners bracket of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Softball Tournament. 

#1 Worcester State 8, #4 Salem State 7 10 innings Box Score

Worcester, MA --- Sophomore Rachel Couto (Chelmsford, MA) drove in the game-winning RBI and classmate Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, RI) went 4-for-4 with a solo home run to help pace top-seeded Worcester State to an 8-7 triumph over #4 Salem State in the quarterfinals of the MASCAC Softball Tournament.

The Lancers (22-13) take on second-seeded MCLA tomorrow at 1:30 in the second game of the semifinals while the Vikings try to stay alive in the tournament by taking on #3 Bridgewater State at 11 AM. All games for the remainder of the double elimination portion of the playoffs will be played at Rockwood Park.

The Trailblazers defeated the Bears, 4-3, in 15 innings earlier this evening in the other quarterfinal matchup.

Salem State erased a 6-0 deficit by plating six unanswered runs over a four stanza stretch to force extra innings.

The Vikings broke up the shutout bid in the top of the fourth on a run scoring double by freshman Desiree Moreno (Ashburnham, MA) and then she crossed the plate on a double steal play.

In the fifth, sophomore Jess Raymond (Peabody, MA) lifted a two-run homer to left and then Moreno made it a 6-5 contest on an RBI ground out.

The score remained the same until the visitors knotted up the game in the top of the seventh.

Freshman Molly McLean (Arlington, MA) started the rally with a single up the middle and she moved to third on another solo knock by senior Jenn Touissant (Reading, MA). Junior Rebecca Krigman (Malden, MA followed with a ground ball to the second baseman who could only convert one out on a potential double play as McLean scampered home for the tying run.

Sophomore Kayla Humphrey (Wallingford, CT) and sophomore Francesca Perrault (Everett, MA) locked into a battle for two scoreless frames until the tenth which brought on the international tie-breaker.

In the bottom of the tenth, Salem State went ahead 7-6 on an RBI single by sophomore Bobbie Dee Regan (Lynn, MA), but Humphrey set down the final two batters to keep the game right where it was.

Salisbury brought in the equalizer on an RBI single up the middle to start off the bottom half of the same inning before Couto ended the contest by lifting a 2-0 pitch right to the gap in left center field.

The Lancers used the long ball to take over the quick 3-0 advantage over the first two innings of play.

Salisbury connected a solo shot to centerfield for her first collegiate homer in the bottom of the first and then freshman Samantha Rivers (Leicester, MA) hammered a two-run blast with one out in the second.

Worcester State took over the 6-0 margin by putting up a three-spot in the bottom of the third. Junior Hayley Terry (N. Dighton, MA) had a sacrifice fly and Couto tacked on two more scores by ripping a two-run double down the left field line.

Perreault (9-6), who was summoned to get out of a jam in the third, held the Lancer bats to just two hits over her next six frames of work. She was tagged with the setback after allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits to go with two walks and two strikeouts.

Humphrey (4-2) earned the victory in relief of junior Meghan Rich (Chelmsford, MA). Humphrey ended the top of the fifth and permitted two runs (one earned), six hits, one walk while she fanned three.

Salem State led in the hitting department, 13-10, as Krigman went 3-for-5 at the plate. Moreno and Raymond had two-base knocks each with two RBI's. Touissant and Regan also contributed a pair of singles for the visitors.

Couto chipped in with a pair of hits and three RBI as Salisbury and junior Sara Pelletier (Leominster, MA) made two trips to home plate.

#2 MCLA 3, #4 Bridgewater State 3 15 innings Box Score

North Adams, MA- MCLA's Abby Lucas lifted a sacrifice fly to right field in the bottom of the 15^th inning scoring Amanda Meczywor as the Trailblazers outlasted the Bridgewater State Bears 4-3 this afternoon in  the 2015 MASCAC Softball Championship tournament.  The second seeded Trailblazers (13-20) move on to face top seeded Worcester State tomorrow at 1:30pm in Worcester, while the third seeded Bears will face fourth seeded Salem State in an elimination game at 11am.  All tournament games remaining will played at Worcester State.

Neither team could crack the scoreboard through nine innings as MCLA's Rachel Quackenbush and BSU's Kelly McCarthy kept the offenses' in check.  Both pitchers were outstanding as they each went the distance.

In the 15^th inning, the Bears missed a golden opportunity to push in front.  With a courtesy runner placed on second, Karissa Pagan singled putting runners on the corners without an out.  Quackenbush bore down however, as she induced a popup before notching her 13^th strikeout of the day for the second out.  She would get out of the jam by getting Courtney Leddy to ground out setting the stage for Lucas' heroics.

MCLA's Meczywor was placed on second and moved to third on Michaela Dinicola's bunt single.  BSU's Tara McCann made a great diving stop to keep the runners from advancing, however it loaded the bases for the Trailblazers with nobody out.  McCarthy got a popup for the first out, and then Lucas lofted a fly ball to right field that scored Meczywor for the winning run.

Each team had numerous opportunities to score in the extra frames; however each team's defense made some remarkable plays.  BSU drew first with a run in the tenth on McCann's sacrifice fly.  The Bears had two runners in scoring position with just one out, however a ground ball back to the mound and a fly out to center field ended the threat.

MCLA would tie the game in the bottom half on Alex Romano's one out single.  McCarthy would retire the next two hitters and the game would move to the 11^th.  McCarthy would help her own cause with an RBI single to right field giving the Bears a short lived 2-1 advantage as MCLA quickly rallied in the bottom half of the inning.

The Trailblazers tied the game on Sierra Bailey's RBI knock and had runners on second and third with just one out.  Julie Watson hit a fly ball to Sam LoPilato in right field for the second out, and the sophomore gunned down pinch runner Katelyn Henault at the plate to keep the game tied at 2-2.

Things got chaotic in the 12^th inning.  BSU loaded the bases with nobody out and looked to strike.  Pagan fouled out for the first out and MCLA forced a runner at the plate for the second out.  Quackenbush got Jocelyn Bettencourt to ground harmlessly to first to give the hosts a chance at the win.

In the bottom of the inning, it appeared as though MCLA would win it, however some heady defense kept the game going.  With Julie Watson on third base and just one out, Michaela Dinicola hit a ground ball in the hole that got Watson hung up at third.  She got in a rundown and slid safely into third while Dinicola went all the way to second bringing Romano to the plate.

The sophomore lifted a fly ball to left and Watson tagged and appeared to score the winning run.  She missed the plate however, and BSU frantically applied the tag to keep the game knotted at 2-2.  Some confusion ensued and the game was delayed about 20 minutes.

When play resumed, each team pushed a run across and finally the Trailblazers scored the winning tally in the 15^th.

McCarthy was outstanding for BSU allowing 10 hits over the 14.2 innings of work.  She walked three and struck out two without allowing an earned run.  McCann paced the BSU offensive attack with three of her team's six hits. 

For MCLA, Quackenbush allowed just six hits and struck out a season best 13 hitters.  Lucas ended with a pair of hits and RBI, while Bailey also had two safeties.

Courtesy of MCLA and Worcester State Sports Information