Softball takes two from Mass Maritime in MASCAC action

North Adams, MA- Timely hitting, solid defense and two very strong pitching performances resulted in an MCLA sweep of MASCAC foe Mass Maritime today at the Zavattaro Athletic Complex. MCLA would rout the Buccaneers 11-1 in five innings in the opener and hold on for a 3-1 victory in Game Two. The Trailblazers are now 8-18 (3-5 MASCAC) while Mass Maritime falls to 0-16 (0-8 MASCAC).

Game One: MCLA 11 – Mass Maritime 1

In Game One the Trailblazers would explode for six hits and six runs in the opening frame and would never have to look back. After a Kara Adams leadoff double and a Kaylyn Holliday walk, Erika Quackenbush would double to left scoring Adams for the game's first run.  Nevada Nelsen's single would drive in Quackenbush and Holliday giving MCLA the early 3-0 advantage. Nelsen herself would score after an Alanza Quinones double and sacrifice fly by Trinity Shellard. A Cassandra Crosier single would drive in Quinones and  Kayla Baker's double to right would score Crossier to give MCLA a 6-0 lead after one.

Adams would retire the Buccaneers in order in the top of the 2^nd and the Trailblazers would add another run in the bottom half. Kaitlyn Berghela, who would take second base on a throwing error, third on a base hit by Holliday and home on a Quackenbush sacrifice fly, scored the 7^th Trailblazer run.

In the top of the 3^rd Mass Maritime's Camryn Roberts-Capak would lead things off with a base hit. Two batters later with one out Savanah Leite would hit a shot back up the middle that grazed off of the pitcher's glove and seemed destined to be trouble. However, an alert Erika Quackenbush would make a great play to gather in the deflected ball, and an even better play tagging out Roberts-Capak on her way to 2^nd before throwing out Leite for the inning ending double-play.

RBI doubles by Adams and Berghela as well as an RBI single by Quackenbush In the bottom of the 3^rd would push the Trailblazers lead to 11-0 and essentially put the contest out of reach.

Mass Maritime would break through in the top of the 4^th when Malarie Pittsley scored on a squeeze bunt but it would prove to be the Bucs only run as the game would end 11-1 after 5 innings of play.

MCLA's Kara Adams (2 RBI's), Erika Quackenbush (3 RBI's), Nevada Nelsen (2 RBI's) and Cassandra Crosier (RBI) each had two hits in the game. Mass Maritime's Madison Ovadek went 2-for-2.

Kara Adams (2-9) would earn the abbreviated complete game win for the Trailblazers allowing just 3 hits and 1 run. Jenna Nalette (0-6) took the loss for the Buccaneers.

Game Two: MCLA 3 – Mass Maritime 1

In Game Two Mass Maritime pitcher Malarie Pittsley would go toe-to-toe with MCLA hurler Samantha Feinstein but her defense struggled to make plays at critical junctures in the contest.

After Feinstein struck out the side in the top 1^st the Trailblazers took an early 1-0 lead in their half when Kaitlyn Berghela singled, stole second and scored on a Kaylyn Holliday base hit to centerfield.

Though MCLA would leave the bases full, they would add another in run in the 2^nd as Cassandra Crosier scored on a sacrifice fly by Berghela extending the lead to 2-0.

A scoreless 3^rd would see Feinstein perfect through three but again the Trailblazers would load the bases unable to score.

The tide seemed to turn in the 4^th as a leadoff single, wild pitch, error and stolen base would leave the Buccaneers with runners on second and third with no outs. Though Feinstein would strike out the next batter and left fielder Kara Adams would make a nice catch on a line drive for the second out, an Emily Goodwin single would score Lucia Buzzell cutting the Trailblazer lead to one with the tying run on third base. However, recording her fifth strikeout of the game, Feinstein ended the threat clinging to a slim 2-1 lead.

After retiring the side in order in the bottom of the 4^th, Mass Maritime would again get the leadoff batter on in the top of the 5^th as Jenna Nalette singled and would eventually reach third base with two outs. But as she had done in the 4^th Feinstein came up with another clutch strikeout ending the inning.

The bottom of the 5^th would again see the Trailblazers unable to get a runner on and true to form, the top of the 6^th would also see the Buccaneers nearly tie the game. With Malarie Ovadek on second and two outs Emily Goodwin singled to center. As Ovadek rounded third and headed for home Kaitlyn Berghela threw a dart to catcher Nevada Nelsen who applied the tag for the third out.

The Trailblazers would get a much needed insurance run in the bottom half of the 6^th due in large part to the heady base running of Kayla Baker. Baker took second base after her single to shallow center when she saw no one was covering the base and advanced to third on a fly to right. A subsequent error would see Baker score giving MCLA a 3-1 margin heading to the 7^th.

Unlike the previous three innings there would be no threat, not even a base runner as the Trailblazers made quick work of the Buccaneers preserving the 3-1 victory.

For MCLA Cassandra Crosier went 2-for3 with a run scored and Kaitlyn Berghela had 2 RBI's. Mass Maritime's Emily Goodwin went 2-for-3 with team's lone RBI.

Samantha Feinstein (5-7) earned the win for the Trailblazers going the distance striking out six. Malarie Pittsley (0-7) took the loss for the Buccaneers.

MCLA is back in action Friday when it hosts Worcester State in a MASCAC doubleheader.