University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Claims 2005 Atlantic 10 Softball Title
May 14, 2005 | Softball
May 14, 2005
Hilary Puglia, Denise Denis, and Stacy Cullington all homered, while Jenna Busa scattered six hits, as the University of Massachusetts (37-14-1) defeated the Fordham Rams (38-16), 7-0, to capture the 2005 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship, held on Fordham's Bahoshy Softball Field. This is the 17th Atlantic 10 tournament title for the Minutewomen, as they set or tied seven Atlantic 10 Championship records.
Massachusetts jumped on the Rams early, as Hilary Puglia took the first pitch of the game from Fordham starter Sara Kinney over the left field wall for her 11th home run of the season.
The Minutewomen extended the lead to 4-0 in the third, as with one out, Amanda Morin singled with KJ Kelley following with a walk. Denise Denis then hit a three-run home run to left center, her seventh of the season.
In the fourth, Massachusetts kept the offense rolling, picking up a pair of runs on an RBI-double by Morin and and RBI-single by Kelley to make it a 6-0 lead.
Massachusetts capped the scoring in the sixth, as Stacy Cullington hit a solo home run, her third of the tournament in the fifth inning, setting a new tournament record.
Jenna Busa (17-5) made that lead hold up, as she scattered six hits and struck out three for the shutout and her third win of the tournament, tying the Atlantic 10 record. At the plate, Hilary Puglia, Amanda Morin, and Lauren Proctor each had a pair of hits in the contest.
Other than the records set by Cullington and Busa, Denis set a new tournament record with eight RBI, while the team set the tournament marks for total home runs (8) and RBI (23) and tied their own single game record set yesterday with three home runs in the championship game.
For Fordham, Sara Kinney (24-9) took the loss, allowing six runs on six hits with three strikeouts.
Following the game, Jenna Busa was selected as the championship's Most Outstanding Player. Joining her on the Atlantic 10 All-Championship Team were K.J. Kelley, Hilary Puglia, Stacy Cullington, Denise Denis, and Amanda Morin from Massachusetts, Jamie Dautel and Laura Klaiber from Fordham, Kristen Brunetto and Christine Keleher from St. Bonaventure, and Lauren Hughes from Saint Joseph's.