University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
RV/RV San Diego State
No. 23/24 Softball Routs San Diego State, 16-1
February 10, 2007 | Softball
Feb. 10, 2007
SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- An 11-run sixth inning helped the No. 23/24 Massachusetts softball team (2-2) rout San Diego State (1-4), 16-1 in six innings Saturday evening in the Campbell/Cartier Classic. Freshman pitcher Bailey Sanders (Durham, Conn.) allowed one unearned run on four hits en route to her first collegiate win. She also recorded her first career hit and RBI in the game while walking three and striking out two. 12 straight Minutewomen reached base in the sixth inning and had 15 hits against four Aztec pitchers. Six different players had two hits for UMass.
Both teams had chances to score in the first two innings, but the game was still scoreless. The Minutewomen had runners at first and second with no outs in the first inning and runners at first and second with one out in the second inning but could not score. In the second inning, Sanders was able to get around a leadoff double and a runner at third and one out jam.
The Aztecs broke through for an unearned run in the bottom of the third inning. Brittany Knudsen walked to lead off the inning and went to second base on a Sanders wild pitch. After Sanders recorded the first out of the inning on a strikeout, Lindsey Marquez laid down a bunt on the right side. Junior first baseman Amanda Morin (Worcester, Mass.) fielded the ball, but threw it into right field. Knudsen scored from second base to give San Diego State a 1-0 lead. Sanders was able to get out of the inning, however, without any further damage on a pair of ground outs to the left side.
UMass threatened again in the top of the fourth inning and this time it was able to take the lead. Sophomore Samantha Salato (Toms River, N.J.) reached on an error to start off the inning and was pinch ran for by freshman Whitney Williams (Kingsley, Pa.). Two batters later, senior Amanda Acampora (Orange, Conn.) ripped a single up the middle and Williams was sent home. San Diego State center fielder Brittany Knudsen made a perfect throw home and Williams was called out on a bang-bang play for the second out of the inning. Junior Stacy Cullington (Encinitas, Calif.) then delivered a clutch, two-run home run into the left field bleachers to put UMass up 2-1. It was the first home run of the season for the Minutewomen and moved Cullington into a sixth-place tie on the all-time school home run list with 13.
In the top of the fifth, UMass looked to give Sanders some insurance runs. Sophomore Davina Hernandez (Bristol, Conn.) and Morin began the frame with consecutive singles and moved up a base on a wild pitch. Down 2-1 in the count to senior Candice Molinari (Glendora, Calif.), SDSU elected to walk her and load the bases for sophomore Whitney Mollica (Windham, N.H.). The first pitch to Mollica got away from SDSU catcher Erin Floros. Floros' throw to the pitcher covering was wild and two runs were able to score. On the next pitch, Mollica singled right up the middle driving the third UMass run of the inning. A single by Salato and then a walk to junior Lauren Proctor (La Jolla, Calif.) loaded the bases with nobody out and also knocked SDSU pitcher Christina Ross from the game.
Melissa Owens entered the game facing a bases loaded and nobody out jam, but was able to retire the next three batters and minimize the damage for the Aztecs. Still, Sanders went back out with a 5-1 lead now heading to the bottom of the fifth.
UMass continued the offensive onslaught in the sixth inning and forced the Aztecs to use their third pitcher of the day. Hernandez singled to lead off the frame and came around to score a couple batters later when Molinari doubled down the left field line. Molinari scored shortly after a Mollica RBI single through the left side. A single on the next pitch by Salato knocked Owens from the game.
Monica Alnes came in to pitch next but she was unable to slow the UMass attack down. A RBI single by Proctor and then two straight errors allowed three more runs to score and when the dust settled UMass had opened up a 10-1 lead. Sanders then helped her own cause with a RBI single making it 11-1. It was her first career hit and RBI.
All told, 10 straight UMass batters reached base as it held a 13-1 lead. In fact, it took a SDSU position player to stop the bleeding as left fielder Tamani Wells came in to strike out freshman pinch hitter Michelle Libby (Porter, Maine) for the second out of the inning. Wells represented the fourth Aztec pitcher of the evening. UMass added a few more runs and when the inning finally ended it had a 16-1 lead. The Minutewomen scored 11 runs on eight hits and three errors in the frame.
Play at the Campbell/Cartier Classic concludes Sunday at 12:00 PM EST when UMass takes on Kansas. Live audio and stats will be available free of charge at www.umassathletics.com.
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