Softball Splits Twin Bill with Framingham

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State sophomore Stephanie Scoville (Northfield, Mass.) tossed a complete game shutout to carry the Owls to a 1-0 game one victory over Framingham before falling in game two by a score of 1-0 on a Saturday afternoon from Maple Street Field in Framingham, Mass. Pitching was on display between two top four teams in the conference as a combined two runs were scored in the game with each team collecting a single run in their respective wins.

The Owls finish the regular season with an 18-18 overall mark and 10-4 record in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Rams finish the regular season at 18-16 overall and 10-4 in conference action. The doubleheader split moved Westfield ahead of Framingham in the standings as the Owls own the third seed in the MASCAC tournament based on tiebreaking scenarios. Framingham claims the fourth seed.

Scoville (W, 9-6) dominated the Rams offense in game one as she allowed just four hits while punching out five. The sophomore right-hander faced traffic in the sixth inning with runners on first and second with the Owls up a run. She eliminated the threat by forcing a fly ouy and pop up to keep Westfield in front. She proceeded to put the Rams down in order in the seventh to secure an important game one win.

The lone run of game one came off the bat of senior Colleen Hughes (Hanson, Mass.) who tallied her team-leading 35^th RBI of the year on a double to send home Lindsay Cordopatri (Walpole, Mass.). Hughes finishes the year second in the MASCAC in RBI while Cordopatri topped the conference list in runs scored (42).

Rams' game one starter Ally Moran (Wilmington, Mass.) was effective as well in game one, taking the hard-fought loss by covering seven innings of work. She allowed one run on three hits with seven strikeouts.

Another pitcher's duel surfaced in game two, this time between Westfield's Katherine Canty (Natick, Mass.) and Framingham's Caroline Hughes (Canton, Mass.). Sophomore Kelsey McGuill (East Longmeadow, Mass.) broke the scoreless tie in the second inning with a solo home run, giving the Rams a 1-0 lead.

The Owls loaded the bases in the third inning with one out, but Hughes was able to navigate the middle of the Owls order in Jordyn Lummus (Pittsfield, Mass.) and Hughes to escape the jam. Westfield left two runners on in the fourth, and could not score Cordopatri from third with two out in the fifth inning as the Owls were eventually shut out in game two.

Canty (L, 4-6) was tagged with the losing decision despite tossing six innings and surrendering two hits and a walk. She fanned six hitters. Hughes (W, 5-4) fired a complete game shutout, allowing five hits and striking out seven.

#3 Westfield State will face off against #6 Salem State in the first round of the MASCAC tournament in an elimination game, with first pitch scheduled for Wednesday at 3:00 P.M. from Westfield, Mass.