Softball clinches 2nd seed with sweep of Mass Maritime

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. --  Freshman Rachel Quackenbush (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.) allowed one hit and struck out 17 over eight innings on the mound, as she teamed up with sophomore Rayelle Pierson (Pittsfield, MA) for a no-hitter in the nightcap that lifted MCLA to a sweep of a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference softball doubleheader from Massachusetts Maritme on Saturday afternoon by scores of 21-3 in the opener and 12-0 in the second contest in five inning games played at Alison Rollins Field.

Sophomore Angelica Perfido (Whately, Mass.) collected five hits and five RBI in the sweep for the visiting Trailblazers (17-19, 10-4 MASCAC), who took control of the opener with a four-run outburst in their first at-bat before icing that triumph with a nine-run fourth inning rally.  Freshman Tanelle Ciempa (Adams, Mass.) added three hits and two RBI in the lid-lifter for MCLA, which also received two hits and three RBI each from seniors Kendra Hobbs (Haverhill, Mass.) and Megan Boyer (Clarksburg, Mass.) as well as sophomore Amanda Meczywor (Adams, Mass.).  Quackenbush fanned 10 in four innings in the opener for the winners in allowing a hit and a walk along the way.  The host Buccaneers (0-22, 0-14 MASCAC) plated all of their runs in the fifth inning of the opener, as senior Rachel Johnson (South Chatham, Mass.) lined a two-run double and scored on an RBI single off the bat of sophomore Meghan Weir (North Andover, Mass.).  Freshman Brittany Driscoll (Spencer, Mass.) added a single as well for Massachusetts Maritime, as freshman Cassie Swanson (Quincy, Mass.) struck out five in suffering the setback inside the circle for the hosts.

MCLA took control of the nightcap by scoring seven runs in its opening at-bat, as Perfido and Quackenbush each collected three hits and three RBI in the second game victory.  Freshman Michaela DiNicola (Lanesboro, Mass.) added three hits as well for the Trailblazers, who also received two hits and two RBI from Boyer as well as two hits from freshman Abigail Lucas (Braintree, Mass.).  Quackenbush added seven more strikeouts to earn her eighth victory of the season for the visitors, as MacDonald retired the side in order in the fifth to complete the no-hitter.  Freshman Taylor Winkler (Staten Island, N.Y.) went the distance in suffering the setback on the mound for Massachusetts Maritime, allowing five unearned runs along the way.

Today's doubleheader closed out the 2013 season for Massachusetts Maritime, its first under Head Coach Megan Giammalvo, while MCLA, which is seeded second in next week's MASCAC Championships, will host Southern Vermont in a non-league twinbill on Sunday afternoon in North Adams, Mass. beginning at 1:00 p.m.