Softball Extend Win Streak to Seven with Two 6-5 Walk-off Wins

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The MCLA Softball team opened their MASCAC schedule this afternoon, welcoming Worcester State to Shewcraft Field for a rescheduled doubleheader against the Lancers. Both games saw the Trailblazers win with runners sliding into the plate just ahead of a tag from the catchers to secure a walk off victory by matching 6-5 scores, and extending the team's win streak to seven.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Wednesday, April 2, 2025
• Game #1: Worcester 5, MCLA 6
• Game #2: Worcester 5, MCLA 6
• Records: Worcester State University Lancers 9-8 (MASCAC 0-2) | MCLA Trailblazers 8-6 (MASCAC 2-0)
• Series History: Worcester State leads the all-time series 59-41, including a sweep by scores of 9-8 and 7-6 last season in Worcester on April 1^st. The teams first met on May 8, 1973.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Game #1
  • After giving up a sacrifice fly in the top of the first, the Trailblazers responded with three runs in the bottom of the first. The rally started with a double to right by graduate student outfielder Maddy Teta (Troy, NY). She moved to third when junior second baseman Ella Staffier (Marshfield, MA) reached on an error before stealing second. Two batters later junior shortstop/pitcher Hailey Peabody then drove both in with a double into the left centerfield gap. Peabody would score two batters later when senior catcher Madyson Torres (Dripping Springs, TX) hit a double of her own.
  • In the third inning, MCLA built on their lead with a pair of runs. Staffier led off with a double down the leftfield line. Junior outfielder Alexandra Espel (Acra, NY) moved her along with an infield single before stealing second to put runners at second and third for Peabody. The shortstop's then hustled to an infield single to third that plated Staffier before Espel scampered home when the third baseman's attempt throw out Peabody went wide.
  • The Lancers worked their way back to level, scoring one run on two hits in the top of the fifth, and then three more behind four hits in the seventh to force extra innings.
  • A scoreless eighth with each team getting two hits and stranding both runners preceded an exciting ninth inning. In the top of the inning Morgan Keefe led off for Worcester with a single down the right field line, only to be stranded when Trailblazers' starter Julia Johansen (Pittsfield, MA) set down the next three in a row.
  • In the bottom of the ninth, Maggie Closinski (Rome, NY) started the fun with a one out single to right and gave way to pinch runner Cinderella Khoury (Waltham, MA). Khoury would then be erased on a fielder's choice that put sophomore outfielder Hannah Mitchem (Baltimore, MD) on first. Mitchem wasted little time stealing second and then sliding just ahead of the tag following junior outfielder Samantha Wheeler's (Agawam, MA) line drive into the left-centerfield gap.
  • Johansen would go the distance for MCLA to even her record at 3-3. For Worcester Sarah Gosselin also threw a complete game but still fell to 4-3.
• Game #2
  • In the second game, the Lancers also scored first, this time taking a 2-0 lead after scoring once in the first and second innings. In the bottom of the second, the Trailblazers took advantage of a pair of errors by Worcester to cut their deficit in half when first-year first baseman Allee George (Bennington, VT) scurried home from second on a muffed throw.
  • The bottom of the third was the big inning for MCLA, scoring three runs on three hits. Senior catcher Ezmeralda Albright (Loves Park, IL) started the outburst with a single back through the middle. Two batters later Teta replaced Albright on the basepaths on a fielders choice. A walk by Staffier was then followed by a triple into the right-centerfield gap to put the Trailblazers in front 3-2. Torres then capped the inning with a double to make it 4-2.
  • MCLA added another run in the fifth. Wheeler and Teta strung together a pair of walks to get the frame started. Peabody was able to beat out a potential double play ball after Wheeler was tagged out at third, to bring Torres to the plate with runners at first and second. Torres' single down the left field line then plated Teta.
  • To start the sixth inning Worcester rallied with three runs on three hits, including a pair of two-out RBI doubles by Keefe and Bella Gasbarro to tie the game at five.
  • Johansen then came on in relief of Peabody to record the final out of the sixth before working out of a jam in the top of the seventh.
  • In the bottom of the seventh, Staffier reached on a one-out infield single, beating the throw from the third baseman. Peabody then singled to center and moved to second when the outfielder's attempt to get Staffier at third failed. Torres then called game with an infield single back to the pitcher as Staffier slid under the catcher's tag.
  • Johansen pitched one and third innings to notch her second win of the day and advancing her record to 4-3. Taylor Coonan took the loss for the Lancers to drop to 2-2.
  • Torres went 4-4 with three RBI while Peabody went 2-4 with two runs driven in and one scored.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• With two hits in the first game and three for the day, Teta moved into sixth place all-time at MCLA with 140 hits. Passing Kaitlyn Berghela's total of 138, and just four hits behind Michaela Dinicola for fifth place.

UP NEXT:

On Friday, MCLA will be back in action when it travels to Framingham State and Maple Street Field for a MASCAC doubleheader with the Rams. The first pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

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