University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Connecticut
Balschmiter Fans 12 As Softball Beats UConn, 6-4
April 12, 2006 | Softball
April 12, 2006
STORRS, Conn. - Massachusetts (19-12) recorded 10 hits and hung on to defeat Connecticut (15-19), 6-4, Wednesday afternoon. Freshman pitcher Brandice Balschmiter (Newark, N.Y.) allowed no earned runs while walking one and striking out 12. UMass out-hit UConn, 10-3 and led 5-0 in the fifth inning before the Huskies came back. All three UConn hits were infield singles and Balschmiter allowed just one ball to leave the infield, a fly ball to right. Sophomore Lauren Proctor (La Jolla, Calif.) was 3-for-3 and on base four times.
UMass was able to jump out and take a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Juniors Amanda Morin (Worcester, Mass.) and Candice Molinari (Glendora, Calif.) both led off with singles. After moving up a base on a ground out by freshman Whitney Mollica (Windham, N.H.), senior KJ Kelley (Rainier, Ore.) brought Morin home with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
Balschmiter allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the first to Micah Truax, but quickly erased her on a double-play. After that, she settled down and retired the next eight batters. Six came via the strikeout.
UMass broke the game open in the top of the fourth as the Huskies got sloppy in the field. All told, UMass took advantage of two UConn errors to score three unearned runs. Kelley led off the inning with a walk and then freshman pinch runner Carly Morin (Worcester, Mass.) went to third base two batters later on a single by sophomore Lauren Proctor (La Jolla, Calif.). With freshman Samantha Salato (Toms River, N.Y.) at the plate, the wheels came off of UConn. proctor stole second base and then Salato hit a come-backer to the pitcher. Krista Micalczyk fielded the ball and threw home with Morin breaking for home. Micalczyk's throw was wide of the catcher and went to the back-stop. Not only was Morin able to score from third, but Proctor scored from second and Salato went all the way to third. Almost the exact same thing happened on the next play. With the infield in, senior Lesley Ferrara (Stamford, Conn.) hit a ground ball to shortstop. Salato started for home, but then went back to third. The shortstop tried to nip Salato at third, but threw the ball away. Salato came across the plate to score the fourth UMass run.
After another 1-2-3 inning for Balschmiter in the fourth, the Minutewomen tacked on another run in the fifth on a RBI double by Mollica. UMass had three hits in the inning, but scored just the one run. One of the hits was by Proctor, her third of the game.
UConn broke threw against Balschmiter for a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to get back in the game. She did record a pair of strikeouts in the inning to increase her game total to 10, the fifth time this year Balschmiter has hit double-figures.
The Huskies scored two more unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 5-4 game. The Huskies had the bases loaded with two outs as Balschmiter was able to induce a fly ball to right field to get out of the inning. That fly ball was the first ball allowed by Balschmiter out of the infield.
UMass gave Balschmiter a huge insurance run in the top of the seventh. Mollica led off with a double, her second of the game, went to third on a passed ball and scored on a single by Kelley. UMass had a chance to score more, but UConn got out of a first and third one out jam.
In the bottom of the seventh, Balschmiter got the Huskies out 1-2-3 to secure the win for the Minutewomen.
Proctor finished the game 3-for-3 and was on base four times for UMass. Morin, Mollica and Kelley each had two hits for UMass.
The Minutewomen return home to host a doubleheader with Saint Joseph's tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Live audio and stats via Gametracker will be available at www.umassathletics.com. Bob Behler and Matt Goldstein have the call beginning at 2:50 p.m.
