Owls Advance in MASCAC Tournament After Ousting Lancers; Face Bridgewater State Today at 2:45 P.M.

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State first-year Mia Alfonso (Dalton, Mass.) laced a three-run triple to separate the #4-seeded Owls in a 7-1 victory over #3 Worcester State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament elimination game from Framingham, Mass. on Saturday afternoon.

The Owls advance in the conference tournament and will face #2 Bridgewater State in a MASCAC semifinal game with the winner advancing to the league championship game against top-seeded Framingham State tomorrow.

With the Owls leading by two runs in the final frame, Alfonso delivered a knockout blow to the Lancers season by scalding a three-RBI triple to right-center field to clear the bases and drive the Owls lead up to five runs. Alfonso came in to score on a wild pitch, capping the four-run seventh which provided Westfield with an extended 7-1 lead.

Christina Ciampa (Rockville, Conn.) got the scoring started in the second inning with a single to center to score Alyssa Clark (Uxbridge, Mass.) and give the Owls a 1-0 lead.

Janna Jose (Middlefield, Conn.) doubled the Owls lead in the fourth inning, belting a solo homer to left, then Sarah Hough (Southwick, Mass.) added another run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth to push the lead up to 3-0.

Owls starting pitcher Stephanie Scoville (Northfield, Mass.) cruised through the first five frames, allowing just three hits before the Lancers finally posted a legitimate scoring threat. With two outs in the sixth inning, Jayden Kelly (Tyngsboro, Mass.) tallied Worcester's first run of the game with a single to center, trimming the Owls lead to two.

With the tying run on first and go-ahead run at the plate, Scoville forced a fly out to center to end the scoring threat, which sparked the offensive burst in the seventh frame.

Scoville punched out the final two Lancers hitters to punctuate the afternoon as the junior starter allowed just one run while scattering seven hits. She struck out four and did not issue a walk to post her second win in the Owls tournament run.

Jen Thorburn (Groton, Mass.) was tagged with the loss for Worcester, allowing two runs on two hits across 3.2 innings of work. She walked three and struck out six.

The Owls will have a brief intermission in play before taking on #2 Bridgewater State today at 2:45 P.M. with a trip to the MASCAC Championship game on the line. Video and live stats for the game can be found at WestfieldStateOwls.com