Wellesley Softball Splits Non-Conference Doubleheader With Worcester State

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Wellesley College softball split a pair of non-conference games versus Worcester State University on Wednesday afternoon at the Wellesley Fields Complex. The Blue took game one, 4-1, before dropping the nightcap, 5-4. 

Wellesley (15-21 overall) first year Sarah Wicker (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) threw a complete-game in game one, holding the Lancers to one run and six hits with six strikeouts to improve to 7-9 on the season. Classmate Diana Borrison (San Jose, Calif.) launched a three-run homer in a seventh-inning comeback bid during the second game.

Game 1 | Wellesley 4, Worcester State 1 | Final

First year Alena Mulhern (Kingston, Mass.) finished 1-for-2 with a season-high three RBIs and a stolen base. Junior Peytin Penny (Louisville, Ky.) scored a pair of runs for Wellesley.

Mulhern drove in a pair of runs in the bottom of the second, sending a single up the middle that scored senior Elli DeCleene (North Reading, Mass.) and Penny. The carried the 2-0 lead into the fourth inning before doubling the advantage when a pair of errors by Worcester State (23-14 Overall) allowed first year Anisa Rodriguez (La Quinta, Calif.) and Penny to cross the plate for Wellesley.

The Lancers trimmed the deficit by a run in the top of the sixth but the rally ultimately came-up short. With two away, junior Abigail Koziol (Lunenburg, Mass.) smacked a double to deep center that brought in sophomore Emma Lapoint (Westfield, Mass.) to make the score 4-1. However, Wicker got the next batter to fly out to get out of the inning.

Worcester State junior Sarah Gosselin (Charlton, Mass.) tossed 3.1 innings for the Lancers and surrendered five hits and a walk in the setback (1-8 overall). First year Peyton Maloney (West Boylston, Mass.) struck out two in 2.2 clean innings of relief.

Game 2 | Worcester State 5, Wellesley 4 | Final

Down 5-1 in the seventh, the Blue nearly came back to win game two. First year Jillian Colgan (Las Vegas, Nev.) led off the inning with a single before advancing to third on a double from sophomore Maggie Abernethy (Phoenix, Ariz.). Borrison ripped a shot past the center field fence that trimmed the score to 5-4 for Worcester State. A single by first year Karen Xiao (Berwyn, Pa.) and a sac bunt gave Wellesley a runner on third with one out. Worcester State senior Emily Bartlett (Lowell, Mass.) settled down and forced two pop outs to end the game and the Blue's walk-off chance.

Earlier on, the Lancers jumped out ahead in the first inning when Bartlett scored on an RBI single through the left side off the bat of sophomore Amanda Adamuska (Dudley, Mass.). The game moved to the bottom half of the third inning before Wellesley tied the contest, 1-1.

Sophomore Emeline Gaunce (Los Altos, Calif.) drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. Senior Julz Vargas (Los Angeles, Calif.) brought Gaunce around to score with an RBI single down the leftfield line.

The Lancers broke the game open in the fourth, scoring three runs on two hits and a Wellesley error to take a 4-1 lead. Adamuska reached base on an error before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Following a walk to sophomore Morgan Keefe (Dracut, Mass.), Adamuska scored on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Carisa Andrews (Medford, Mass.). Keefe later scored on a sac fly RBI from sophomore Bailey Tammaro (Fitchburg, Mass.) before an RBI single later in the inning from junior Emma Lanpher (Charlton, Mass.) made it 4-1.

Worcester State added a fifth run in the top of the sixth, when Lapoin doubled down the leftfield line to score Cali Brouillard (Millbury, Mass.). Brouillard finished game two 0-for-2 with a pair of walks and a pair of runs scored. 

Bartlett struck out four across seven innings and allowed six hits and two walks. Colgan threw five innings and gave up five hits for the Blue. Junior Lauren Young (Fresno, Calif.) struck out a batter in two innings of relief.

The Blue finish up the regular season with a NEWMAC doubleheader beginning at 3:00 PM on Friday, May 3. The Lancers are at Massachusetts Maritime for a 4:00 PM doubleheader that same day.