26-Game Win Streak Ends; Owls Homer 3x in New Streak-Starter

WESTFIELD, Mass. –  Westfield State University softball's program-record 26-game winning streak came to an end in game 1, but the Owls blasted three home runs in game 2 to start a new win streak as Westfield split a doubleheader with Framingham State, falling 7-3 in the opener and winning 6-1 in game 2.

After having their bats dulled in game 1 by the Rams pitching and the heavy air on a damp and overcast day, the Owls exploded to life halfway through game 2.  With the score tied 1-1 heading to the bottom of the fourth inning, Arielle Ostman started the Owls rally with a 1-out double, seeing 10 pitches in the at bat and working a 1-2 count to 3-2 before lining a pitch to left field and legging out the double.  Rylie Camacho followed with a walk, and Sarah Hough then yanked the ball over the left field wall for a 3-run home run and a 4-1 Owls lead.

Westfield got back-to-back home runs from Hannah Wodecki and Mia Alfonso in the sixth inning, with Wodecki hitting a line shot to left center, before Alfonso's missile to dead centerfield.

Angelia Vartuli (W, 10-0) started and spun a complete game for the Owls, allowing six hits and two walks while striking out four.   Vartuli was making her fourth appearance in the last three days, earning wins in relief in both games Thursday, and coming in to stop a Rams rally in game 1 today.

Framingham put a pair of runners aboard in the seventh inning with a single from Ava Gray and a pinch hit double from Maddie Blettie.   Gianna Paolino reentered to run for Blettie, but ran into the final out of the game on a forceout at third when Westfield's Hough went into the hole to make a backhanded play on a ball that looked to be ticketed for the outfield, and Hough flipped to Alyssa Slack at third for the tag on Paolino and the final out to secure the win.

Starter Audrey Gauthier (L, 5-8) took the loss for the Rams, allowing six hits and four walks with six runs in 3-1/3 innings.

Westfield is now 27-1 overall and 9-1 MASCAC after the split, while Framingham is 13-15 and 9-3 in the league.

In the opener, Framingham starter Payton Farris (W, 7-4) foiled the Owls with a combination of a drop and a changeup, that allowed her to face one more hitter than the minimum through four innings.

The Rams got the offense going early with one run in the first, two in the second and four in the third.  Isabella McDonald delivered an rbi double in the second, and a two-run single in the third, chasing Westfield starter Joss Mettey (L, 8-1) after just 2-1/3 innings and 10 hits and seven runs.  Vartuli came on for 1-2/3 innings of relief to help get out of the jam, before Isabella Schaeffer came in for three scoreless innings of relief to give the Owls some hope for a comeback.

Westfield finally got to Farris for three runs in the sixth on three doubles from Sarah Hough, a 2-run double from Wodecki, and a RBI double from Slack.   Westfield put one aboard in the seventh but Ferris struck out Hough to end the game and the Owls record win streak.

Farris finished with four strikeouts and two walks while scattering six hits and two walks.   McDonald had three hits and three rbi to lead the Rams.

Rylie Camacho was the lone repeat hitter for the Owls in game 1.  She reached base in six straight plate appearances bridging the two games.

Hough's game 1 homer was her seventh of the season, tying her for the second-best single season total in Owls history, two back of Wodecki's nine in 2024.

Ostman, Alfonso, Wodecki and Kassidy LaTour each had a pair of hits for the Owls in game 2.

Westfield's loss leaves #1 ranked Virginia Wesleyan (36-0) as the only unbeaten team left in the nation in NCAA D3 softball.

Westfield State will be back at it on Monday, hosting Mass Maritime in a Patriots' Day doubleheader at noon on Sullivan Field.