Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

DUDLEY, Mass. – Junior Amanda Broughton (Plymouth, Mass.) drove in a pair of runs for Nichols College, which lost a pair of games of non-conference softball games to Worcester State University Thursday afternoon at the Nichols Softball Complex. The Lancers won game one, 10-7, and game two, 4-1.

Sophomore Avery Orszulak (Springfield, Mass.) went 5-for-7 on the afternoon for the Bison – including 4-for-4 in game two – while junior Emalee Watkins (Malden, Mass.) went 3-for 4 with two runs scored in game one. The losses drop Nichols to 4-18 on the season while the Lancers improve to 12-9.

The Bison jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opener behind RBI singles by freshman Jordan D'Aurio (Northford, Conn.) and Orszulak in the first and one from freshman Alexa Polverari (Branford, Conn.) in the second.

In the circle, sophomore Taylor Ferrazzi (Ashland, Mass.) cruised through the first four innings, allowing just two hits, before running into trouble in the fifth. The Lancers cut their deficit to 3-1 with an unearned run, then evened the score at three on a two-run single off the bat of sophomore Taylor Hanley (Wilmington, Mass.). Following an RBI double by junior Hillary Hart (Clinton, Mass.) to move in front 4-3, sophomore Katie Roy (Worcester, Mass.) launched a two-run home run to left field as WSU grabbed a 6-3 lead.

Nichols got one back in the fifth on an RBI double from junior Rebecca Palmarozza (Hamden, Conn.), but the Lancers responded with four in the sixth to stretch their lead to 10-4. Hart lifted a sac fly to left to plate one, followed by an RBI double from Roy. A two-run double by Broughton in the sixth and an unearned run in the seventh capped the scoring.

Ferrazzi took the loss, allowing seven hits and six runs – all unearned – with no walks and six strikeouts. Roy surrendered 15 hits and seven runs (six earned) but came away with the win. She did not walk a batter and struck out five to improve to 4-1 with the win.  

Worcester State scored twice in the second and twice in the third in game two to build a 4-0 lead. Sophomore Katie Storro (Leominster, Mass.) poked an RBI single in the second, and Hart belted a two-run home run over the left field fence in the third. D'Aurio scampered home from third on a passed ball with two outs in the seventh to account for the lone Nichols run.

Freshman Meghan Rich (Chelmsford, Mass.) scattered six hits and allowed one run in seven innings of work to earn her sixth win of the season for WSU. She walked none and fanned eight. Sophomore Lindsay Rappazzo (Mashpee, Mass.) gave up five hits and two runs (one earned) in 1.2 innings as she suffered the loss for Nichols. Junior Rebecca Waszczuk (Chester, N.H.) tossed the final 5.1 innings and gave up three hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out one.

The Bison return to action on Saturday when they head to Milton, Mass. for a 1 p.m. doubleheader with Curry. The Lancers play a doubleheader at Framingham State Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m.