Softball suffers couple narrow losses at Salem State

SALEM, Mass. -- Payton Jeffers (Holly Ridge, N.C.) ripped a two-run double as part of a five-run inning as Salem State came back to defeat MCLA 7-5 in the first game of their scheduled Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader on Monday afternoon. Emily Carter (Warwick, R.I.) pitched four innings in relief in game two, allowing just a run on two hits with four strikeouts as the Vikings completed the sweep with an 8-6 victory. Salem State is now 7-19 on the year and 3-5 in the MASCAC. The Trailblazers got to 3-22 and 0-8.

Game One

Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Salem State scored five times, taking advantage of two MCLA miscues to forge a 7-4 lead. Dawn Eisnor (Medford, Mass.) plated the first run with an RBI single to right. Following an error and unearned run, Jeffers launched a double to right to put the Vikings on top 6-4. Another error in the inning scored Jeffers as Salem Salem State exited with a 7-4 lead.

Avianna Ibrahim (Colchester, Vt.) gave the Trailblazers a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The Vikings answered in the bottom of the frame with a run-scoring single by Mackenzie DeSantis (Ridge, N.Y.). A second run came home on a throwing error by the catcher. An RBI single by Madison Teta (Troy, N.Y.) in the second and run-producing singles by Justina Pardi (Niskayuna, N.) and Sarah McMahon (Pittsfield, Mass.) in the third and fifth innings gave MCLA a 4-1 lead.

Pardi drew the Trailblazers to within 7-5 with a two-out single in the sixth, but starting pitcher Emily Carter (Warwick, R.I.) worked out of the jam, stranding two runners before retiring the side in the seventh for the win.

Carter allowed five runs with 19 strikeouts while allowing 13 hits in the win. Lidia Flores (Menifee (Calif.) took the loss allowing five runs – two earned on three hits with a walk in two innings of relief. 

Lora Woyton (Attleboro, Mass.) started for the Trailblazers and gave up a pair of runs on four hits with a walk and three strikeouts in four innings or work.

Teta went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI while Flores finished 3-for-4 with two runs for MCLA.  Isabella Perrotti (Winthrop, Mass.) had the only multi-hit game for the Vikings, going 2-for-3. 

Game Two

DaSantis launched her team-leading fourth home run of the year in the first, a two-run shot to give Salem State a 2-0 lead. McMahon added a run for the Trailblazers in the second, scoring from third on a double steal. Sydney Chiasson (Hidson, Mass.) made it a 3-1 game with an RBI single in the bottom of the second. MCLA scored four runs in the third to take a 5-3 lead. Ibrahim drove in two with a double to center. Flores followed with a run-producing single and McMahon capped the scoring, driving in Flores with a double to right.

Salem State scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to tie the game at 5-5.  Eisnor broke the stalemate with a two-out single to left in the sixth, scoring Chiasson, who had reached on a bunt single. Jeffers then added a pair of insurance runs with a two-run double to left, giving the Vikings an 8-5 lead.

Gracie Hogan (Blackstone, Mass.) started for the Vikings, lasting three innings while giving up four earned runs on seven hits with a strikeout. Carter came in and earned her second win of the day, tallying four strikeouts in the game.

Sarah Williams (Stepehntown, N.Y.) went all six innings, allowing eight runs on 12 hits with a walk and strikeout for the Trailblazers.

Eisnor, DeSantis and Jeffers all had two hits for the Vikings. Teta went 3-for-4 with two runs scored in the loss for MCLA.