WORCESTER, Mass. – Powered by a five-run effort in the bottom of the sixth, the UMass Dartmouth softball team defeated #10 Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), 8-2 to win the 2026 NCAA Division III Worcester Regional Championship. It marks the first time in program history that the Corsairs will advance to the Super Regionals after a 3-0 effort in Worcester.
The Corsairs improve to 33-11 overall – tying the program record for wins in a season set by the 2022 team – and will now head to Alliance, Ohio for a Super Regionals match-up against the University of Mount Union beginning May 21 through May 22. The Raiders – who are 32-7 overall – are coming off a regional championship victory that saw they defeat Christopher Newport, 9-1 on Saturday.
UMass Dartmouth - winners of eight straight games dating back to May 8th - will face the Raiders on May 21st at 2pm, followed by game two on May 22 at 1pm. An if necessary game will be played on May 22 at 3:30pm.
Senior third baseman
RaeLynn Perregaux – who hit her seventh home run of the season in the sixth – was named the Regional Championship Most Outstanding Player. Additionally, senior center fielder
Sydney Menz, junior catcher
Olivia Silva, sophomore pitcher
Edy Crawford and rookie pitcher
Brielle Kenney were All-Tournament Team selections.
The Corsairs started the game much like they had the entire tournament, taking an early lead in the first. Silva got things going with a single through the left side that drove in Perregaux from third. Rookie first baseman
Bre Fontes then grounded out with one out as junior left fielder
Olivia Ali came in for the 2-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the second, with two runners on, Menz came across on a wild pitch to move the score to 3-0 after two. In the fourth inning, the Engineers answered as a single through the left side by Destiny Lum brought a run in. A single to right from Lucy Latour closed the gap to 3-2.
Heading into the sixth inning, junior right fielder
Lily Routhier flied out with bases loaded, but senior designated player
Lena Tsonis came in. An ensuing single from Edwards down the left field line brought two more across and Perregaux's seventh homer of the year sealed the game as UMD took an 8-2 lead.
In the top of the seventh, Crawford went to work, forcing two ground outs and a fly out to give the Corsairs the victory.
Perregaux was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two runs batted in, while Edwards went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI. Menz went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, while Silva had a hit and an RBI.
In the circle, Kenney allowed two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts over 3.0 innings. Crawford came on in relief, earning the victory after allowing just four hits and no runs in 4.0 innings.
