BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – The Worcester State University Lancer softball team, which sits at the top of the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference standings with a 12-2 record, swept both ends of a regular season ending double header from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buccaneers Saturday at Alison Rollins Field in Buzzards Bay. The Lancers took the opening contest behind a one-hit pitching performance by senior Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.) by a score of 15-0 in five innings. Worcester State claimed the nightcap in six innings by a score of 10-2.

Smith-Porter held Massachusetts Maritime hitless through four frames before allowing a one-out base hit to MMA sophomore leftfielder Jill Corazzini (Paxton, Mass.) in the fifth inning.

The Lancers opened the scoring in the top of the first inning scoring twice on three hits. They broke things open in the second pushing across seven more runs backed by a pair of two RBI doubles by Smith-Porter and Kaci Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.). Worcester State added two runs in the third and four more in the top of the fifth. Senior Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.) finished the opening game 4-for-4 at the plate for the Lancers with three runs scored and three RBI.

Sophomore Jenna Nalette took the opening game loss for the Buccaneers in five frames.

Worcester State used a pair of pitchers in the nightcap with starter Rachel Frisch (Worcester, Mass.) picking up the win in three innings of work in which she allowed two runs on three hits. The Lancers sent sophomore Carly Zielinski (Monson, Mass.) to the circle for the final three frames in which she held the Buccaneers to one hit.

The Lancers jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two and a half innings with Smith-Porter driving in two runs in the top of the first on a base hit. Massachusetts Maritime answered in the bottom of the third when senior Kaylene Murphy (Randolph, Mass.) was hit to lead off the inning. Senior Carly Thomas then then reached on a single and sophomore Maddy Ovadek (Greenland, N.H.) drove in both runners with a base hit.

Worcester State ends the regular season at 22-9 (12-2 MASCSC), while the Buccaneers closed out the spring with a final record of 3-25 (1-13 MASCAC).   

Dan Crowley, Sports Information Assistant