WORCESTER – Senior Kylie Juarez (Elk Grove, CA) batted 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored and junior Mackenzie Phillips (Gill, MA) carried a no-hitter late into the sixth inning while top-seeded WPI defeated fifth-seeded Emerson, 8-0 (6 inn.), in Game 3 of the 2019 NEWMAC Softball Championship Wednesday on Rooftop Field.

The Engineers (29-8), who were sixth in last week's NCAA New England regional rankings, moves on to face second-seeded, and nationally-ranked, MIT at 4pm on Friday. The Lions (20-19) are now slated to play sixth-seeded Wellesley in the first game of the day at 10am. In all, four games are scheduled to be played Friday on The Roof, weather permitting.

After issuing a four-pitch walk to freshman Lexi Semanchik (Flemington, NJ) with one out in the first inning, Phillips did not allow a baserunner until senior Marisa DeFranco (Falls Church, VA) connected on a two-out single in the top of the sixth.

WPI manufactured the first run of the game in the bottom of the second. Senior Renee LeClaire (Merrimack, NH) led with a double. Junior Cassie Graca (Somerset, MA) and Juarez followed with a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly, respectively.

Two innings later, Juarez keyed a four-run frame with an RBI single and went on to score on a wild pitch. Freshman Hailey McCasland (Wrentham, MA) then doubled in a run followed by a run-producing single by sophomore Marissa Gonzales (Oakley, CA) two batters later.

Junior Leila Camplese (Tewksbury, MA) lifted a sacrifice fly to right and McCasland added another RBI on a fielder's choice as WPI led 7-0 after five. Juarez later ended the game with a two-out single to center.

McCasland went 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBI for the home team. Camplese chipped in with a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly. Gonzales and Graca added sac bunts and Juarez contributed with a sac fly. Graca stole two bases and Juarez swiped one. LeClaire also doubled for WPI. Phillips struck out seven and improved to 16-3 on the year.

Springfield sophomore Neely Eddleston (West Wareham, MA), who made her second start of the day, was followed by freshmen Karagan Knowles (Tucson, AZ) and Katelyn Torlincasi (Bayport, NY).