University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Brown
Softball Notches Two Wins Over Brown, 6-1, 9-1
May 04, 2000 | Softball
May 4, 2000
AMHERST, Mass. - Freshman Brandi Cross (Diamond Bar, Calif.) hit her eighth home run of the season today, as the University of Massachusetts defeated Brown, 6-1, 9-1, to improve to 30-20 this season overall. The Bears dropped to 14-28 this year with the two losses.
The Minutewomen seized an early 2-0 lead in the first inning of game one, as freshman Kaila Holtz (North Vancouver, B.C.) tripled, driving in Cross, who had singled earlier in the inning. Holtz then scored off a RBI-single from sophomore Cherra "Scooter" Wheeler (Kingsburg, Calif.). UMass had a four-run fourth inning to take a 6-0 lead over the Bears. Sophomore Teri Rooney (Visalia, Calif.) drove in three runs off a triple, plating freshman Emily Robustelli (Stamford, Conn.), freshman Anna Perey (Chino Valley, Ariz.) and junior Kiley Scofield (Murietta, Calif.). Rooney then scored the fourth run off an error by the catcher. Brown scored one run in the sixth, as Lauren Wong drove in Cory Schreier.
Holtz went the distance on the mound, striking out six batters, while allowing four hits and walking two in seven innings pitched. She improves to 14-7 this season with the victory.
The Minutewomen got on the board first in the second game of the day, with a two-run effort in the second inning. Senior Nikki Faessler (Milford, Mass.) connected on her first home run of the season to lead off the inning. Faessler has now tallied 10 homers in her career at UMass. Sophomore Ashley Bakken (Phoenix, Ariz.) scored the next run off a RBI-single from Robustelli, who finished 2-for-3 in the game with two RBI. The Minutewomen increased their advantage to five in the fourth, as Bakken stole home and Robustelli drove in Perey. Rooney then recorded a sacrifice fly ball, which plated Robustelli. In the fifth inning, Scofield doubled for two RBI, driving in Wheeler and Faessler to the plate. The Bears then homered in the sixth for their only run of the game, and UMass scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the game. Cross homered for the eighth time this season, which tied the school single-season home run record with former Minutewoman Sherri Kuchinskas. Finally, with the bases loaded, Scofield walked, which scored Wheeler.
Sophomore Jen Hadley (Bristol, Conn.) picked up the win on the mound for her ninth this season, striking out eight batters, while allowing six hits and walking one in six innings pitched.
UMass will wrap up the Atlantic 10 regular season this Saturday, May 6, when it hosts Rhode Island for a doubleheader at noon. It will also mark the final home outing for senior Nikki Faessler.
