Alfonso's HR Lifts Owls to Walk Off Win

WESTFIELD, Mass. –  Westfield State first year Mia Alfonso socked a 2-run, pinch-hit walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh-inning as Westfield State snatched a 4-3 win over Smith College in game 1 of a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at the Westfield State softball field.

Smith earned a split with a 7-1 win over the Owls in the nightcap.   Westfield is now 10-6 on the season while Smith is 5-7.

Westfield jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning of game 1, with Sarah Bingham ripping a line-drive home run to left center to lead off the inning, then Alyssa Clark added a double to right and came around to score on Annelyse Rivera's RBI single.

Westfield State starter Stephanie Scoville kept the pioneers off the scoreboard until the top of the sixth, as Juno Schantz and Cece Alaniz both singled to lead off the inning.     Schantz eventually scored on a sac fly from Piper Corey, then Alaniz scored from third on a wild pitch.   Elinor Washington walked and scored the go-ahead run on Maegen Osmond's double to right center to take a 3-2 lead.

Westfield wasted no time in the bottom of the seventh, with Skylar Dutra singling ro right center to lead off the inning.   Westfield coach Joe Hough reached to the bench for Alfonso, who looked at one pitch before crushing a long home run to left center field to give the Owls a 4-3 walk off win.

Katherine Canty (W, 4-0) got the win in relief after tossing a scoreless seventh inning.

Lucy Helms(L, 3-2) allowed seven hits and four earned runs for the Pioneers, and finished 2-2 at the plate.

In the nightcap, Westfield grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Meredith Higgins drew a leadoff walk, and came around to score two hitters later as Abby Higgins stroked a solid single to left field.

From there, Smith starter Abigail Higgins (W, 2-2) worked around trouble as the Owls left the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, and then yielded just two more base hits to Westfield the rest of the way.  She walked two and struck out none but got 1-2-3 innings in the second, fifth and sixth to close out the game.

Smith tied the game in the second inning on Osmond's RBI single, and got two runs on Helms' double in the third.   The Pioneers added two in the fifth and two in the sixth.  Helms finished with three hits and two rbi. Schantz was 3-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Canty tired in the third after picking up the win in game 1, and was saddled with her first loss of the season (4-1). Abby Higgins was the lone repeat hitter for Westfield in game 2.

Westfield State will next open conference play with a MASCAC doubleheader at Fitchburg State on Saturday.