University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Saint Louis*
Softball Splits Doubleheader At Saint Louis
April 23, 2006 | Softball
April 23, 2006
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Massachusetts (27-13, 12-2 A-10) split a doubleheader at Saint Louis Sunday afternoon. In game one, freshman pitcher Brandice Balschmiter (Newark, N.Y.) allowed just one unearned run but took the tough loss, 1-0. She walked four and struck out nine as her record dropped to 20-7. UMass could muster just three hits against SLU pitcher Lorena Floccari and had only one runner get past first base. In game two, the offense exploded for 13 runs on 18 hits in a 13-3 win. Senior Lesley Ferrara (Stamford, Conn.) was 4-for-4 with two RBI. Junior Lauren Proctor (La Jolla, Calif.) was 4-for-4 as well with three RBI while junior Amanda Morin (Worcester, Mass.) went 3-for-5 with four RBI.
The Minutewomen had three base runners in the first inning against Saint Louis pitcher Lorena Floccari, but could not get a run across. Junior Amanda Morin (Worcester, Mass.) began the game by getting hit by a pitch, but was thrown out trying to steal second base. Junior Candice Molinari (Glendora, Calif.) walked and senior KJ Kelley (Rainier, Ore.) also singled in the inning.
Saint Louis scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning without the benefit of a hit. Jill Pursell led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. She was sacrificed to second, went to third on a passed ball and then scored on a passed ball.
UMass was unable to get any offense going in the first three innings against Floccari. The Minutewomen went 1-2-3 in the second. Molinari had a two-out single in the third, but Mollica struck out to end the threat.
Balschmiter allowed at least one base runner in each of her first three innings. In the bottom of the third, a walk and an error gave the Billikens runners at first and second with just one out. She was able to get out of the inning with a double-play. Senior Lesley Ferrara (Stamford, Conn.) made a routine catch on a fly ball in right field. She threw to third with the runner tagging. Christy Ernst was safe at third, but Mollica threw Ashley Heady out trying to move up to second base.
Kelley led off the fourth inning with a single up the middle, her second hit of the game, but junior pinch runner Michea Holness (Beverly, Mass.) could not get off of first base. Junior Amanda Acampora (Orange, Conn.) and sophomore Lauren Proctor (La Jolla, Calif.) both popped up to the second baseman for the first two outs. Sophomore Stacy Cullington (Encinitas, Calif.) then hit a shot to right-center field that appeared to be heading for the gap, but it hung up just long enough for centerfielder Kara Sell to run in down.
Floccari threw just 50 pitches in the first four innings. In comparison, Balschmiter was up to 81 pitches through four. She struck out the side in the fourth for her first 1-2-3 inning of the game.
After another 1-2-3 inning in the fifth for the Minutewomen in the field, Balschmiter came back out in the bottom of the frame trying to keep it a 1-0 game. After striking out the first batter, two straight errors gave SLU two more base runners and just one out in the inning. Balschmiter again was able to get out of the jam unscaved sending the game to the top of the sixth and the heart of the UMass order due up.
Mollica looked to start a rally for UMass in the sixth by drawing a one-out walk. She was stranded there, however, as both Kelley and Acampora flied out to end the inning.
SLU's Ashleigh Williams led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a clean single to right-center field. It was the Billiken's first hit of the game off Balschmiter. The Billikens did not score in the inning and UMass came up for its final at bat in the top of the seventh looking to at least tie the game.
With one out, Cullington nearly tied the game. She hit a line drive to left that SLU left fielder Logan Justice made a snow-cone catch on the warning track with her back to the infield. UMass freshman pinch hitter Samantha Salato (Toms River, N.J.) then popped up to the second baseman on the first pitch to end the game.
Balschmiter finished the game with four walk and nine strikeouts. For the Billikens, Floccari walked two and fanned three.
Game two began anything but normally. A single by Molinari and walks to Kelley and Cullington loaded the bases with two outs for Proctor. With the count at 1-1, the underground sprinkler system began to malfunction. It took nearly a half hour to get the water shut off and when they did, Proctor took advantage. After seeing ball two go by, she ripped the next pitch up the middle for a two-run single. Acampora ended the inning by striking out, but UMass took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the first inning.
In the bottom of the first inning, senior pitcher Jenna Busa (Lexington, Mass.) hit two batters, but did not allow either of them to score.
UMass made it 3-0 with a run in the top of the second. Ferrara led off the inning with a single to center. After being sacrificed to second by senior Kristi Stefanoni (Columbus, N.J.), she scored on a double down the right-field line by Morin.
In the bottom of the second, Busa allowed a two-out walk and single, but got her first strikeout of the game to end the inning and keep the 3-0 UMass lead.
Busa began to settle down as she retired the side in order in the bottom of the third inning for the first time of the game. UMass came back in the top of the fourth looking to break the game open with a couple more runs.
The Minutewomen did just that plating six runs on seven hits. Ferrara led off with a double and moved up a base when Stefanoni reached on a bunt single. With no one paying attention in the Saint Louis infield, Stefanoni kept on running and took second base. That turned out to be a big play as Morin hit a single up the middle driving in a pair of runs. Although she was thrown out trying to go to second base, it was now 5-0. Molinari kept the hitting going with a single through the left side and that knocked SLU pitcher Ashley Levan from the game.
Floccari came into the game in relief, but this time UMass was all aver her. Mollica reached on a fielder's choice as Molinari was safe at second. Cullington then walked to load the bases for with Proctor coming up. Proctor reached on an infield single, but everybody was able to move up a base as the throw by second baseman Christy Ernst went into the UMass dugout. Two more runs scored and UMass now led 7-0. Salato rounded out the scoring with a two-run double to the gap in right-center field.
A RBI double in the fifth by Mollica made it 10-0 UMass, but Busa allowed three runs in the bottom of the frame to keep the game from ending early on the eight-run rule.
UMass came right back in the top of the sixth. Singles Cullington, Proctor and Salato loaded the bases with nobody out for Ferrara. Ferrara continued her career game with a two-run single up the middle on an 0-2 pitch making it 12-3 UMass. Another run scored later in the inning when Morin reached on a fielder's choice. It was her career-high fourth RBI of the game.
Balschmiter came in for the bottom of the sixth inning as Busa had to leave after taking a line drive of her pitching arm in the bottom of the fifth. It occurred on the first batter of the inning, but she was able to stay in. Balschmiter closed out the game by pitching a scoreless sixth inning.
Busa improved to 7-6 with the win. She was charged for three runs (two earned) on six hits. Busa walked one and struck out six.
UMass will return to action this Tuesday, April 25, with a single game at Central Connecticut. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. Live stats will be available via Gametracker at www.umassathletics.com.
