Rams Sweep Both End of Doubleheader From Vikings

SALEM, Mass. -- Kelsey McGuill (East Longmeadow, Mass.) went 3-for-3 with three doubles to lead Framingham State to a 12-4 victory in six innings over Salem State in the first game of their scheduled Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader on Tuesday at Alumni Field. The Rams exploded for eight runs in the final inning in game two to come-from-behind and defeat the Vikings 13-7. Framingham State is now 17-15 and 9-3 in the MASCAC. Salem State goes to 7-25 and 3-9 in the conference.

 Game One

Framingham State starting pitcher Ally Moran (Wilmington, Mass.) went five innings and allowed three runs - two earned on four hits with a walk and six strikeouts to pick up her eighth win of the year. Emily Carter (Warwick, R.I.), who took the loss, and Gracie Hogan (Blackstone, Mass.) each pitched three innings apiece for the Vikings. The two combined to allow 11 hits, 10 earned runs with six walks and a pair of strikeouts.  

The Rams scored four times in the top of the first, taking advantage of two Salem State errors. Shelby Roode (Ashaway, R.) plated the first run on a single to left. Mercedes Jiminez (Cambridge, Mass.) followed with a sacrifice fly before McGuill, who laced a double to right, and Zoe Smyth (Cambridge, Mass.), who singled, brought home two more runs for Framingham State.

Salem State answered in the bottom of the inning as Sydney Chiasson (Hudson, Mass.) reached on an error and swiped two bases before coming home on a single by Dawn Eisnor (Medford, Mass.).

The Rams opened up a 7-2 lead in the third. A Jimenez single provided two runs and Camilie Desrochers (Westford, Mass.) walked with the bases loaded.

An RBI single by Mackenzie DeSantis (Ridge, N.Y.) drew the Vikings to within 7-3, but single runs in the fourth and fifth innings by the Rams led to a three-run sixth, putting the game out of reach. McGuill and Smyth each doubled in a run and Desrochers made it 12-3 with a sacrifice fly. A Framingham State error led to another Vikings' run in the bottom of the inning, but Emily Strzegowski (Westford, Mass.) closed out the win for the Rams

Game Two

Salem State took a 2-0 lead, scoring an unearned run in the second and on a sacrifice fly by Payton Jeffers (Holly Ridge, N.C.) in the third. However, the Rams answered with a five-run fourth, with McGuill providing the big blow with a three-run home run.

A single by Isabella Perrotti (Winthrop, Mass.) in the bottom of the inning drew the Vikings to within 5-3. The Vikings chased starter Caroline Hughes (Canton, Mass.) in the fifth, scoring three times to take a 6-5 lead. Jeffers singled in the first run with a base hit up the middle. Eisnor followed with a sacrifice fly before Rebecca Walker (Lynn, Mass.) gave Salem State a 6-5 lead with a double to center. Hughes was charged with five earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts and a pair of walks.

Gracie Hogan replaced starting pitcher Carter in the fifth after the sophomore was charged with five runs – four earned on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

The Rams rallied in the seventh to take a 13-7 lead. Grace Swanson (Lincoln, R.I.) led-off with a single. Desrochers and Brooke Grassia (Danvers, Mass.) followed with back-to-back base hits to score one run, which led to a sacrifice fly by Gwendolyn Carpentar (Ashley Falls, MAss.)  to tie the game. McGuill was hit by a pitch, driving in the go-ahead run for Framingham State. Keely Scotia (Charlton, Mass.) cleared the bases with a triple, putting the Rams up 11-7. Scotia scored on a passed ball with Framingham State's eighth run of the inning.

Hogan took the loss, giving up eight runs – seven earned with three walks in three innings of work. Moran earned the win with three innings pitched in relief, allowing just a run on two hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts. 

McGuill finished 2-for-3 with two runs and four RBI while Scoti had two hits, including a double and triple with three RBI and two runs scored for Framingham State. Jeffers and Perrotti each had a hit and two runs batted in for the Vikings.