MCLA sweeps Framingham in MASCAC play

Courtesy of Framingham Athletics

Framingham, Mass. – The MCLA Trailblazers swept a doubleheader this afternoon with the Framingham State University Rams in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) softball action at Farley Field.  The Trailblazers won game one 1-0, before rallying from a 2-0 deficit to win the second game 3-2 in eight innings.

With the pair of victories the Trailblazers improve to 12-18 on the season and 6-4 in the conference, while the Rams fall to 7-25 overall and 4-6 in the MASCAC.

The Trailblazers plated an unearned run in the top of the second inning of the opener and that was all starting pitcher Rachel Quackenbush (Hoosick Falls, NY) would need to secure the victory in the circle as she faced one over the minimum.  Quackenbush went the distance surrendering just one hit, a single by Tiffany Agostini (Rehoboth, Mass.) to lead off the second inning, while striking out 12 and not issuing a walk.

Framingham State's Yaya Faria (Acton, Mass.) was equally impressive in the circle in the opener but suffered the tough luck loss as she allowed one run, unearned, and held the Trailblazers to just one hit as well.  Faria struck out eight and walked one.

Angelica Perfido (Whately, Mass.) struck out to lead off the second but reached on a throwing error by the Rams catcher. Perfido stole second and then advanced all the way around to score on a pair of pass balls.  Samantha Barbarotta (Pittsfield, Mass.) followed with the Trailblazers lone hit in the game, but Faria recorded three straight outs to end the inning.

In game two, the Rams got to Quackenbush in the bottom of the first for a pair of runs.  Freshman Kourtney Kacian (Gardner, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a single by junior Alyssa Begin (Salem, Mass.).  After a wild pitch advanced both runners, sophomore Shelby Phillips (Taunton, Mass.) plated Kacian with a base hit.  Begin scored the Rams second run when she scored from third on a pass ball.

The game would remain 2-0 in favor of the Rams until the top of the sixth inning as freshman Alex Ferri (Winthrop, Mass.) was solid in the circle allowing just two base runners in the first five innings.

The Trailblazers offense got going in the sixth as Quackenbush singled and was lifted for a pinch runner.  A sacrifice moved the runner to second and Amanda Meczywor (Adams, Mass.) followed with a double cutting the deficit to 2-1.

MCLA leveled the score in the top of the seventh off Faria, who came on in relief to start the inning.  Barbarotta doubled to lead off the frame and scored on a double by senior Megan Boyer (Clarksburg, MA) tying the game at 2-2.

After Quackenbush was tagged for the two runs in the first, she settled down and allowed just four hits for the remainder of the game.  The Rams got back-to-back two out singles from sophomore Kelly Naegelin (Scituate, Mass.) and Kacian in the seventh but Quackenbush was able to record the third out with a strikeout to end the threat.

MCLA took the lead for good in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Perfido to record the victory.

Quackenbush picked up her second win of the day allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts, while Faria was hit with the loss tossing two innings of relief and allowing two runs.  Ferri went six innings in the game surrendering one earned run on four hits with a three punch outs before being lifted.

Both teams return to MASCAC action tomorrow as the Rams travel to Salem State for a pair of games beginning at 2 p.m., while Trailblazers host Westfield State 2 p.m.