WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State opens its pursuit of a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament crown on Friday, when the #1-seeded Owls play host to a quarterfinal round game at 3:00 against a yet-to-be determined opponent.
Westfield won the right to host the tournament with sweep of Bridgewater State last weekend, that gave the Owls a 12-2 record in conference play and the outright regular season crown. Westfield is 26-11-1 this season and has tied the program record for wins in a season.
Westfield will play the lowest remaining seed from the two first round, single-elimination games. #3 Worcester hosts #6 Fitchburg on Wednesday evening, while #4 Salem hosts #5 Bridgewater in a game delayed to Thursday evening by weather. #2 Framingham rounds out the tournament field, and also received a first-round bye. The Rams will host the highest remaining seed from the two first round games.
After two teams are eliminated in the first round games, the tournament becomes a double-elimination format for the final four teams.
The Owls consistent play this season has been led by the dynamic pitching duo of Stephanie Scoville and Katherine Canty, and the big bat of sophomore 3b Hannah Wodecki.
Wodecki has set the Owls single season records for home runs (eight), RBI (54) and has tied the record for hits (58).
Scoville and Canty have delivered a 1-2 punch in the pitching circle, alternating starting and closing duties throughout the conference schedule. Scoville leads the Owls in innings pitched (106.1) and ERA (2.49) and has an 11-3 record with seven saves. Canty is 10-3 with a pair of saves. She has a 3.01 ERA and has struck out 72 hitters in 81 innings pitched.
Junior Gianna Conte gives the Owls a third option in the circle with a 5-4 record in 58.1 innings this season.
As a team, the Owls have set the program's single season record for home runs, with 19.
Westfield has gotten offense from up and down the lineup. Grad student SS Alyssa Clark is closing in on the program's career HR record – she's hit two this season – and has 15 in her career.
Her sister Abby, a senior outfielder, ranks second on the team in hits with 34, 17 of which have gone for extra bases. Sophomore 2B Sarah Hough also has 34 hits, and 10 doubles.
Senior OF Jordyn Lummus (.298 BA) and graduate C Christina Ciampa (.330 BA) set the table at the top of the lineup for the Owls.
Westfield earned the right to host the conference tournament for the first time since 2011. That year the Owls made it all the way to the title game before falling to Worcester State, 2-1 in the championship game.