Framingham State and Salem State came out victorious in the MASCAC Softball quarterfinals on Thursday to advance to the winner's game of the tournament.

#1 Framingham State 6   #4 Worcester State 2 Box Score

Framingham, Mass. – Junior Dayna Marchant (East Bridgewater, Mass.) went 4-for-4 with two runs scored as the top seed Framingham State University softball team defeated fourth seed Worcester State University 6-2 in one quarterfinal of the 2017 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Softball Championship Tournament at Maple Street Field. 

With the win, the Rams (28-11) advance in the winner's bracket of the tournament and face Salem State, who defeated Westfield State 7-6 in 11 innings in the today's other quarterfinal, at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Maple Street Field. 

With the loss, the Lancers (18-17) fall into the loser's bracket and will face Westfield State on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Maple Street Field in an elimination game.

Marchant paced the Rams with her four hits and in the process established a new FSU single season hit mark with 53. She surpassed the old mark of 51 on her third hit of the game – an infield single in the bottom of the fourth.

Sophomore Kayla Finacchiaro (Natick, Mass.) went 3-for-3 for the Rams and drove in five runs, while junior Megan Downing (Hanson, Mass.) scored twice.

The Rams took the lead in the bottom of the first inning.  Marchant reached on an infield single and moved to third on two pass balls.  Freshman Mycala Moody (North Attleboro, Mass.) followed with a walk and took second for runners on second and third with no outs.  After an out, Finacchiaro delivered a two run single to center.

The Rams extended their lead to 5-0 with three runs in the bottom of the third.  The Rams loaded the bases on a single from Marchant, a walk and a single from junior Anna Dziok (Southampton, Mass.).  Finacchiaro cleared the bases with a double to center.

The Lancers got on the board in the top of the fourth inning.  Junior Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.) reached on an error and came around to score on a double to deep left by senior Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.).

The Lancers threatened in the top of the sixth with runners on the corners and two outs, but sophomore Kelsi Gunarathne (North Providence, RI) was able to induce a ground ball and end the inning.

Marchant tagged on the final run of the game for the Rams in the bottom of the sixth as she tripled to left and scored on an error.

The Lancers threatened in the top of the seventh.  Senior Kayla Humphrey (Wallingford, Conn.) reached on an error and junior Kaci Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) followed with a single to center. After a strikeout and a fielder's choice, senior Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, RI) walked to load the bases.  Panarelli scored from third on a pass ball and a walk reloaded the bases, but Gunarathne was able to get a fly ball to end the game and secure the victory.

Gunarathne improved to 14-6 on the year with the victory going seven innings and allowing two unearned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks.  Humphrey took the loss for the Lancers going two and a third and allowing five earned runs on five hits, while Smith-Porter went three and two thirds in relief allowing an unearned run on three hits.

#3 Salem State 7 #2 Westfield State 6  11 Innings Box Score

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Salem State University pushed across two runs in an 11th inning tie-breaker and held on in the bottom half of the inning to post a 7-6 win over Westfield State University in a MASCAC playoff softball game on Thursday afternoon. Third-seeded Salem (23-15) moves into the winners bracket in the double-elimination tournament, while second-seeded Westfield will have to play it's way out of the bottom half of the bracket in a quest for a tournament title.
 
In the decisive 11th inning, Salem started the inning with Marisa Sanchez on second base via the tie-breaker rule. Jess Raymond sacrificed her to third, and then April Adams followed with a fielders' choice; Owls shortstop Liz Kelly threw to the plate, and Sanchez was put out in the ensuing rundown, but Adams advanced to third on the play.  Adams scored as Jen Crovo delivered an RBI single to take a 6-5 lead. Samantha Holey followed with a base hit to the gap in left, and Crovo came around to score.  The throw to the plate was cut off and Holey was thrown out at second base, but Crovo's run gave Salem a 7-5 lead. 

In the bottom half of the inning, Westfield placed Kait Prophet on second to start the inning, sacrificed her to third, and Emma Dunbar delivered an RBI double to cut the lead to 7-6. 
 
Salem State starter Iliesh Burney (10-6) got a strike out and a ground out to end the threat, completing an 11-inning complete game win in which she allowed 11 hits, walked three and struck out three. 
 
Westfield had to push a run across in the bottom of the seventh inning in order to extend the game.  Dunbar rapped a one-out base hit, advanced to second on a ground out, and came around to score on Kelly's rbi base hit up the middle to send the game to extra innings at 3-3.
 
Salem took a 4-3 lead in the ninth when Crovo reached on an error, advanced to second on a ground out, and scored on Chloe Manousos RBI single.  Westfield answered with a run in the bottom half to again extend the game, as Dunbar reached and went to second on an error, then scored on Julia Sullivan's rbi double.      
 
The two teams traded runs in the 10th inning as the international tiebreaker is implemented in the 10th inning in MASCAC play. Both teams scored without virtue of a hit, with the Owls once again extending the game in the bottom half. 
 
Sullivan (7-9) tossed a complete game for the Owls, going all 11 innings and scattering eight hits and striking out four.  She also helped her own cause at the plate, with three hits in five at bats, each of which drove in a run for Westfield.  Kelly finished with a pair of hits and Dunbar had two hits and three runs scored.
 
For the Vikings, Crovo finished 2-5 with three runs batted in and Raymond added a pair of hits.
 
Both teams will travel to play in Framingham, Mass., on Saturday, as the tournament continues with all remaining games at top-seeded Framingham State on Saturday and Sunday.  The tournament winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.

Releases courtesy of Framingham State and Westfield State Sports Information