Softball drops pair of home games to Framingham State

North Adams, MA-- The visiting Framingham State Softball team received a pair of solid pitching performances from Ally Moran and Caroline Hughes as they swept the MCLA Trailblazers at the Zavattaro athletics complex.  The Rams took the opener 10-2 in six innings before winning the nightcap 7-1.

Framingham improves to 12-12 overall but is now 5-1 in the MASCAC.  MCLA dips to 3-20 on the season and is 0-6 in conference play.

Game One: Framingham State 10, MCLA 2

The opener was scoreless through two innings of play as Moran and MCLA's Lora Woyton kept zeroes on the board.  The Rams would get to Wotyon in the third inning however for five runs.  An error brought home the first run and Brooke Grassia singled home another for a 2-0 lead.  Mercedes Jiminez delivered the big blow when she launched a three run homer to left center field and the Rams led 5-0.

MCLA would answer with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame as they took advantage of a Ram mistake to make it 5-1 and then Lidia Flores singled home Woyton to close within 5-2.

The game remained that way into the fifth inning when Cam Desrochers cleared the bases with a line drive into the gap increasing the margin to 8-2.  Grassia would add a solo homer and the Rams added another on a sacrifice fly to provide the final margin.

Moran went all six innings and scattered 7 hits and struck out 7 Trailblazers to earn the win.  Desrochers was 4-5 in the opener while Grassia and Jiminez each added three hits apiece.  Framingham outhit MCLA 14-7.

Woyton suffered the loss for MCLA.  Avianna Ibrahim collected a pair of hits to pace the MCLA offense.

Game Two: Framingham State 7, MCLA 1

In the nightcap the story was Hughes.  She tossed all seven innings, allowed just one hit, and struck out 8 Trailblazers to improve to 3-3.  The right hander got all the run support she would need in the second inning.

The Rams got their first run on a MCLA error and then Desrochers continued her strong day with a two run double down the line.  The Rams led 3-0 after two innings of play.

Framingham tacked on a solo run in the third, two in the fourth, and one in the fifth to round out their scoring.

MCLA could not mount much offense off of Hughes.  Maddie Teta recorded the only hit of the day for MCLA when she launched a double to center field in the third inning.  Hughes would buckle down however and strand the two runners.

MCLA finally scored in the sixth inning and Teta was in the middle of it.  She drew a one out walk, then stole second and third.  She would come around on Woyton's RBI groundout to get within 7-1.  MCLA would not threaten in the seventh inning.

Framingham pounded out 12 more hits in the win as Desrochers, Gwen Carpenter, Grassia, and Jiminez each posted a pair of hits.

MCLA's Ibrahim took the loss on the mound.

The Trailblazers are back in action on Monday when they travel to Salem State to continue conference play.