University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Pitcher Likes Big Games
May 10, 2006 | Softball
May 10, 2006
UMass Pitcher Likes Big Games
By Matt Vautour Staff Writer
AMHERST - Freshman pitcher Brandice Balschmiter often has told University of Massachusetts softball coach Elaine Sortino that she likes pitching in big games.
As the Minutewomen head to the postseason, she will likely get the ball in all of them beginning with the game at 2 p.m. Thursday against Fordham in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament in Philadelphia.
A year ago, Jenna Busa was the most valuable player in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. But as a senior Busa struggled down the stretch and was eclipsed by Balschmiter, who emerged early as the Minutewomen's best pitcher and finished the regular season with a 25-7 record with 246 strikeouts and a 0.67 earned run average.
''She always said she loved the big game, but at the beginning of the season she didn't know what she was doing. Now I see a different pitcher. I saw her grow up a lot in the past seven days,'' Sortino said, after Balschmiter escaped bases-loaded jams twice last week.
''She's figured out how to pitch. She's not just a freshman who can throw the ball hard.
''We'll go with her as long as we can,'' Sortino added. ''You get on the horse and start riding at this point in the season.''
Balschmiter, who grew up wanting to pitch for the Minutewomen, is looking forward to getting the chance to do so in the postseason.
''I'm a little nervous. But I'm looking forward to it,'' she said. ''I told coach it's been a long time coming, but I can't believe a year has gone by and we're already in the postseason.
''I'm happy with what I'm doing, but there can always be improvement,'' Balschmiter said.
The Minutewomen (34-14, 17-3 A-10) shared the regular-season conference title with Charlotte (42-11, 17-3), and tiebreakers gave the 49ers the top seed in the tournament.
Sortino said she is glad to be the No. 2 seed this season. ''I like being seeded two,'' Sortino said. ''For us being young, I think it's better to be coming out swinging and trying to go after it than trying to keep people from it. I think it puts us in a better position.''
UMass beat Fordham (35-21, 13-5) twice in the A-10 Tournament last year and swept the Rams 8-1 and 9-5 in two regular-season meetings this season.
No. 1 Charlotte and No. 4 St. Bonaventure (22-20, 14-6) meet at noon Thursday in the other first-round game. Thursday's winners will play at noon Friday, and the losers will play at 2 p.m. in an elimination game.
UMass is seeking its 18th tournament championship in the past 21 years.
NOTES - The Atlantic 10 will announce its postseason awards this afternoon. Freshman third baseman Whitney Mollica will likely be the rookie of the year and could be player of the year, while Balschmiter seems certain to be the pitcher of the year.
Several UMass players could be named to one of the two all-conference teams.
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. For more UMass coverage including a frequently updated UMass sports blog, go to www.dailyhampshiregazette.com/umsports.