Alfonso's Walk-Off Single Delivers Owls Playoff Win

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State first-year left fielder Mia Alfonso (Dalton, Mass./Pittsfield) delivered a game-ending walk-off hit for the third time this season, as the fourth-seeded Owls got past #5 Fitchburg State, 2-1 in a first round Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference softball game at the WSU Softball Field on Wednesday afternoon.

With the win, the Owls (23-16) advance into the double-elimination portion of the tournament and will play at #1 Framingham State on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.

Fitchburg's season comes to a close with a 15-23 overall record.

Tied 1-1 going to the bottom of the seventh Westfield State grad student 3B Meghan Doyle (Marshfield, Mass.) was tabbed to pinch hit to lead off the inning, and delivered a solid single to centerfield to start the winning inning.

Liana Silva (New Britain, Conn) pinch ran for Doyle, and two outs later advanced to second when Sarah Hough (Southwick, Mass.) walked.    Alfonso then flared a looper just inside the right field line, and Silva came all the way around from second to score the game winning run well ahead of the throw from the outfield.

Westfield State starter Stephanie Scoville (Northfield, Mass./Pioneer Valley) (W, 12-6) went the distance, allowing five hits, striking out two and walking one.

Fitchburg starter Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, Mass.) (L, 7-9) took the tough luck loss for the Falcons, going the route and striking out nine while walking three and scattering eight hits.

Westfield grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Hough led off with an infield single and advanced to second on the overthrow.   She came around to score when Alfonso launched a towering fly ball double to center field that short hopped the wall.

Fitchburg finally climbed on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth, getting a two-out base hit from Dana Cisowski (Torrington, Conn.), which was followed by senior shortstop Molly Grass's (Rockland, Mass.) line-drive double to right to drive in Cisowski and tie the game at 1-1.

Scoville worked around a lead off base hit in the seventh to keep the game tied, getting a running catch of a looper to center from Jordyn Lummus (Pittsfield, Mass.) to end the inning.

Hough finished 2-3 at the plate for Owls, and Alfonso was 2-4 with both the Owls runs batted in.

Grass finished 1-3 with the double and RBI to led the Falcons.