Peabody Becomes Career Hit Leader, Closinski Homers on Softball Senior Day

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The MCLA Softball team wrapped up its regular season this afternoon, welcoming Worcester State University to Shewcraft Field with playoff seeding on the line. Hailey Peabody had three hits in the first game and two more in the second to become the softball program's all-time career hit leader, passing Michelle Littlefield. The Lancers took both games to secure the second seed and a first-round bye, while the Trailblazers locked in as the sixth seed.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
• Game #1: Worcester 4, MCLA 3
• Game #2: Worcester 9, MCLA 6
• Records: Worcester State University Lancers 23-14 (MASCAC 13-3) | MCLA Trailblazers 18-18 (MASCAC 6-10)
• Series History: Worcester State now leads the all-time series 62-34, including an 8-0 win last season in the MASCAC playoffs on May 7, 2025. The teams first met on May 8, 1973, but the results have been lost to history.

SENIOR DAY:

Before the first game, the Trailblazers recognized the Softball program's graduating class during their senior day celebration. Alexandra Espel (Acra, NY), Maggie Closinski (Rome, NY), and Hailey Peabody (W. Springfield, MA) were honored by coaches, teammates, family members, and fans for their time with the softball program. Although their time with the program may end, they will forever be a part of the MCLA family.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Game #1
  • Worcester State posted the first runs, plating two on Cali Brouillard's double to the left-center field alley in the second inning, scoring Bailey Tammaro and Kate Johansson.
  • The Lancers added a single run in the top of the fourth inning on Brouillard's two-out single through the middle, bringing home Laurel Field.
  • MCLA responded in the bottom of the same inning when Hannah Gilbert (Colrain, MA) led off by driving a 3-2 pitch well over the left field wall.
  • The road team clawed that run back in the top of the fifth, however, scoring another two-out run on Field's bases-loaded single that scored Bella Gasbarro.
  • The Trailblazers made things interesting in the seventh, responding with their own two-out rally. Nevaeh Lopez (Pittsfield, MA) got it started with a double that stayed just inside the third base bag on its way into the left field corner. Closinski then followed that up by sending the first pitch she saw out for her first homerun of the season and cutting the Lancer lead to 4-3, but that would be as close as they would get.
  • Peyton Maloney pitched a complete game for Worcester, allowing three runs on 11 hits while striking out 10 against zero walks, to up her record to 9-5. Allie Mienaltowski (Delanson, NY) absorbed the loss for MCLA, allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings, falling to 8-8.
• Game #2
  • The Lancers jumped out to a lead again in the second game, scoring multiple runs in the second and third frames. It was a three-spot in the second inning, starting with a two-run bases-loaded single through the right side by Tammaro, scoring Carisa Andrews and Morgan Keefe. Brouillard then capped the scoring with an RBI groundout to plate Camden Heenan.
  • The third inning runs both scored on a homer to left by Gasbarro after Emma Lapoint had led off the inning with a single to left center.
  • The home team cut that deficit to only two runs, scoring three runs on four hits and an error in the bottom of the fourth. Peabody started the frame with a double to left field ahead of Lopez lining a single off the third baseman's glove. Closinski then brought Peabody home with a single back through the circle. Two batters later, Paxton Ebling (Pittsfield, MA) loaded the bases with a single to center field. Mienaltowski followed with an infield single that took a funky hop on the second baseman to plate Lopez. Two batters later, Juliana Johansen (Pittsfield, MA) worked a five-pitch walk to force Ebling home with the MCLA's third run.
  • After a scoreless fifth inning, both teams returned to the scoreboard in the sixth, both posting crooked numbers. In the top of the inning, the Lancers scored four runs on three hits. Amanda Adamuska plated the first with a squeeze bunt to score Heenan, Brouillard came around on an error, and Lapoint scored Adamuska with a lined infield to a diving Lopez at short.
  • The Trailblazers bounced back with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the frame. Gilbert led off with an infield single, and Ebling walked. Gilbert then scored when Mienaltowski doubled over the left fielder's head. Ebling scored on a sacrifice fly to the center fielder by Miranda Ranzoni (Adams, MA). Two batters later, Hannah Mitchem (Baltimore, MD) put runners on the corners for MCLA with a single to right. Peabody capped the scoring with an RBI single through the left side of the infield, chasing Worcester's starter Taylor Coonan from the game.
  • Coonan picked up the win for the Lancers to improve to 10-4 despite allowing six runs in only five and two-thirds innings. Johansen suffered the loss for the Trailblazers to drop her record to 2-2.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• With her double in the fourth inning, Peabody tied Michelle Littlefield for the MCLA softball career hits lead. Her single in the sixth made her the sole record holder with her 179th career hit.

UP NEXT:

On Tuesday, MCLA will be back in action but must wait until the completion of the Framingham/Fitchburg games tomorrow to find out its opponent.

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