University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Wins 10-inning Thriller Over Lehigh at Amherst Regional
May 20, 2006 | Softball
May 20, 2006
AMHERST, Mass. -- The UMass Minutewomen eventually prevailed over the Lehigh Mountain Hawks in a dramatic game at the UMass Softball Complex. A four-run tenth inning for UMass was the difference. UMass pitcher Brandice Balshmiter was able record her 15th strikeout of the game to win it, despite a strong challenge from the Lehigh offense in the bottom of the tenth.
Amanda Morin led the game off for the Minutewomen a with double that dropped just inside the left field foul line and rolled into foul territory. Lehigh pitcher Lisa Sweeney was able to battle back though as Candice Molinari hit a pop up for an out on a bunt attempt, and Whitney Mollica grounded out. Sweeney walked UMass' cleanup hitter, KJ Kelley, but was able to get Stacy Cullington to hit an easy grounder to third to end the inning.
Brandice Balschmiter started again in the circle for UMass, and walked Lehigh's Kate Marvel to start off the bottom of the first, but she then struck out the next four Lehigh batters. Balschmiter then walked Taryn Hanley and Megan Conrad in the second. Whitney Schenbeck then put the first ball in play for Lehigh with a grounder to first. Amanda Morin fielded it and fired it across the diamond to third for a close force out. Balschmiter then ended the inning with her fifth strikeout of the game.
Both Sweeney and Balschmiter were dominant in the circle. Starting in the second, Sweeney retired five consecutive UMass batters before issuing a walk to Candice Molinari in the third. Molinari was able to steal second base, but Whitney Mollica was unable to get her home as she flied out to right. Balschmiter retired the side in the third and fourth innings and recorded three more strikeouts.
In the fifth Balschmiter started the inning with another strikeout, but Whitney Schenbeck and Kate Arico reached base for the Mountain Hawks on an error and a walk, respectively. Balschmiter battled back though to tally her 10th and 11th strikeouts to end the inning.
Molinari and Kelley earned walks for UMass again in the sixth, but Sweeney was able to record her fourth strikeout to end the inning. Balschmiter answered by retiring all three batters she faced on ground outs in the bottom half of the inning. Sweeney recorded two more strikeouts to retire the side in the seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh Taryn Hanley ended Balschmiter's attempt for her second consecutive no hitter with a sharp grounder past the diving gloves of Mollica at third base and the shortstop Cullington. Megan Conrad moved pinch runner Katherine Wegert to second with a sacrifice bunt. Wegert then moved to third on a wild pitch.
Schenbeck then hit a bouncing grounder to Kristi Stefanoni at second base. Stefanoni fired the ball to catcher KJ Kelley as Wegert broke for home to win the game. The ball was in time and Kelley applied the tag in front of the plate for the out. Kate Arico grounded out to end the inning.
With the game still scoreless moving into extra innings, Amanda Morin hit a single to right center. It was the first hit off of Sweeney since Morin's lead-off double.
Mollinari then reached first base on a bunt single. Whitney Mollica sacrifice bunted the runners to second and third, so Sweeney intentionally walked Kelley to load the bases up with one out. With a 3-1 count on Stacy Cullington though, Sweeney walked her to bring in the first run of the game. Lauren Proctor then followed with a sacrifice fly that sent Molinari home to put the Minutewomen up 2-0.
Kate Marvel led the bottom half of the inning off for the Mountain Hawks with a single between the first and second basemen. Sweeney followed by grounding out to the shortstop, Cullington, but Marvel was able to advance to second. Lauren Haney was then thrown out at first after hitting a grounder to Stefanoni at second. Balschmiter then walked Mary Wieder to put the tying run on base. On an 0-2 pitch, Julie Sterrett hit a line drive to the wall in left center that scored both Haney and Wieder. Sterrett was then picked off at second on the play to end the inning
Sweeney then retired the Minutewomen in order in top of the ninth.
With one out Megan Conrad sent a line drive up the middle for a base hit for Lehigh in the bottom of the ninth. Schenbeck then sent another one up the middle that just squeaked by Cullington and Stefanoni. Balschmiter recorded her 12th strikeout when she got Arico swinging on a full count. Mollica then fielded Marvel'soft grounder to third and threw her out at first to end the inning, Molinari led the top of the tenth off for the Minutewomen with a base hit just to the left of second base. Mollica followed and moved her to second on a sacrifice bunt. KJ Kelley reached first on her fifth walk in as many at bats, and Sweeney also walked Cullington to load the bases. Lauren Proctor hit another sacrifice fly to send the go-ahead run across the plate. Sweeney loaded the bases again by walking Amanda Acampora.
Lesley Ferrara made Sweeney pay as she launched a line-drive to the wall in the gap in left-center field. Ferrara's double cleared the bases to put UMass up 6-2. Lehigh got out of the inning without any further damage
Lisa Sweeney led-off for Lehigh in the bottom half of the inning and hit a soft pop-up back to the circle. Balschmiter dropped the ball though, allowing Sweeney to reach first, and then she walked the next batter. Mary Wieder recorded the first out when she struck out, but Julie Sterrett loaded the bases on a fielding error by Cullington at shortstop. With a full-count, Balschmiter walked Taryn Hanley to give the Mountain Hawks a run. Lehigh scored another run when Megan Conrad hit an infield single. Cullington made a diving play at shortstop to keep it in the infield and prevent more damage. Balschmiter was then able to strikeout Schenbeck for the second out, and then she caught Kate Arico looking to end the game with her 15th strikeout of game.
This was the first extra inning NCAA tournmanent game for UMass since May 16, 2002, which was a win 5-3 win over University of Louisiana-Lafayette.