University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Dayton
Softball Completes Sweep Of Dayton, 5-2
March 31, 2007 | Softball
March 31, 2007
DAYTON, Ohio - After an hour and a half rain delay, the Massachusetts Softball Team (15-12-1, 2-0 A-10) scored five runs in the first two innings and that was more than enough for a 5-2 win at Dayton (4-16, 0-4) Saturday afternoon. Junior Stacy Cullington (Encinitas, Calif.) had a two-run home run in the first inning and senior Amanda Acampora (Orange, Conn.) added a solo home run in the second. Cullington finished the day 3-for-4 and also had a double. Sophomore pitcher Brandice Balschmiter (Newark, N.Y.) improved to 11-8 on the year as she allowed two earned runs on four hits and three walks in seven innings. She fanned six.
A torrential downpour came through the area about an hour and a half before scheduled game time resulting in an hour and a half rain delay. The first three innings were played in a steady light rain, but that did not slow down the UMass offense. Morin led off the game with a walk, but was still standing at second base with two outs. Cullington came up and blasted a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left-center field giving the Minutewomen a 2-0 lead. It was her fifth home run of the year.
Dayton looked to tie the game in the bottom of the inning by loading the bases with just one out. Molly Schrank singled into right field driving in a run, but Balschmiter induced a 1-2-3 double-play off the bat of Shalyn Adams.
UMass added three more runs in the top of the second inning. Acampora led off with a solo home run to left-center field, her third of the season. Sophomore Samantha Salato (Toms River, N.J.) walked, but senior pinch runner Michea Holness (Beverly, Mass.) was thrown out at second base on a ground ball by freshman Jessica Serio (Barrington, R.I.). Later in the inning, a two-out single by Morin and a walk by senior Candice Molinari (Glendora, Calif.) loaded the bases for sophomore Whitney Mollica (Windham, N.H.). Mollica hit a rocket up the middle and under the glove of the Dayton shortstop allowing two runs to score. The official scorer ruled it an error, but UMass now had a 5-1 lead.
Balschmiter issued a pair of two-out walks in the bottom of the second inning that resulted in a run, but settled down after that. She retired 16 of the final 18 batters that she faced to keep the Flyers off the scoreboard and preserve the win. The only blemishes in there were a hit batsman and an infield single. Of Dayton's five hits against Balschmiter in the weekend, four never left the infield.
UMass had a few chances to increase its lead, but some hard luck and good defense kept them off the scoreboard. In the fourth inning, freshman Jill Andrews (Gardner, Mass.) was at second base with one out. Cullington hit a double off the wall in right field, but Andrews had to hold up and make sure the right fielder Sheena Rothwell did not catch the ball. Rothwell played the carom and rifled home to gun down Andrews on a bang-bang play at the plate. It appeared as though Andrews slid around the tag of Dayton catcher Laura Matthews, but she was called out.
UMass out-hit Dayton 6-4.
Massachusetts continues Atlantic 10 play with a doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at Rhode Island beginning at 3:00 PM. Both games will be broadcast online at www.umassathletics.com. Live stats will also be available via the Gametracker link at www.umassathletics.com. Fans can tune into the free live audio beginning at 2:50 PM.
