By Danielle Achin
The Framingham State softball team faced off against Johnson and Wales in a doubleheader coming back victorious in game two after losing game one against the Wildcats.
After the 10-8 loss in the previous game, the Rams came back to the field charged up for seven more innings of game two.
Johnson & Wales took to the plate first where Hailey Erickson plated two runs with a single base hit followed by a sacrifice fly from Meaghan Gurska allowing Kaelani Gamble to reach home from third base.
The first scoreless inning for the Rams left the Wildcats at a 3-0 advantage.
In the top of the second, the Wildcats added Eve to their score taking the 8-0 lead before the Rams took to the plate once again.
Freshman infielder Ally Gruca scored the first run for the Rams after doubling down the line, sending utility player freshman Shelby Roode home from second, finishing the play by taking third on a passed
ball.
Sophomore first baseman Kelsey McGuill, tacked on another run with a single base hit, followed by a two run single from freshman outfielder Brooke Grassia, and a one run single from junior outfielder Gwen Carpenter, advancing the score 8-5.
While still trailing behind three runs, the Rams slowly crept up to the Wildcats score and tallied four more runs between the third, fourth, and fifth innings after FSU capitalized on the scoreless innings from the Wildcats.
Claiming the 9-8 lead, the Rams allowed a single run from the Wildcats in the top of the sixth before adding three more insurance runs on a bases-loaded double from Gruca extending the lead 12-9.
The Wildcats had one last opportunity in the top of the seventh to take the plate and tally up more runs before the Rams claimed victory.
Despite the ight, the Wildcats were unsuccessful, and it didn’t take long for the Rams to force three outs to reach the final 12-9 margin.
The Rams are now 15-13 overall and sophomore pitcher Caroline Hughes spoke on the positivity that the team always brings to the games whether they win or lose.
“We came as a whole to keep a positive energy no matter what, and fight every inning to hold the score and bring in runs for ourselves,” she said. “We did a lot of great things in game two, but overall as a team, we kept a positive energy and cheered everyone on.”
Hughes added she has complete faith in her team going far this season not because of skill level, but because of the trust they have in each other.
“At the end of the day, everyone would have each other’s backs. The goal for the remainder of the games is to keep working together and keep a positive energy even if we are the underdog,” she said.
The softball team looks to push their record to 17-13 when they travel to Worcester State for more double header action on April 23.