University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Tennessee Tech
Softball Splits Opening Day At adidas Invitational
March 08, 2007 | Softball
March 8, 2007
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Junior Stacy Cullington (Encinitas, Calif.) was 4-for-6 with a double, home run and six RBI as the Massachusetts Softball Team (5-6-1) split its first day of action at the adidas Invitational. UMass trailed 5-3 heading to the final inning of its first game against Indiana (3-6), but scored five runs in the seventh capped by a Cullington grand slam for an 8-5 win. Tennessee Tech (17-8) belted three home runs, two off the bat of Beth Boden, and defeated the Minutewomen in the night cap, 10-1, in six innings. The tournament continues Friday against No. 20/19 Georgia Tech at 11:00 AM and Illinois-Chicago at 4:00 PM.
In game one against Indiana, the Minutewomen had the first scoring chance of the game in the top of the second inning. Junior Stacy Cullington (Encinitas, Calif.) started it with a one-out double off the fence in right-center field. Senior Amanda Acampora (Orange, Conn.) then blooped a single into right field, but senior pinch runner Jackie Teman (Downingtown, Pa.) was unable to score since she had to hold up and wait to see if the ball could be caught. The Minutewomen were unable to score, however, as sophomore pinch runner Davina Hernandez (Bristol, Conn.) was thrown out trying to steal second base and freshman Carly Normandin (Gardner, Mass.) struck out to end the threat.
Freshman Bailey Sanders (Durham, Conn.) cruised through the first two innings, but Indiana's Stephanie Pellerito led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run to left field. The Hoosiers then added to their lead as Jennilee Huddleston ripped a two-run single into right field making it a 3-0 game heading to the fourth inning.
UMass responded with a three-spot in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game up. Sophomore Samantha Salato (Toms River, N.J.) led off with a ringing single to left field. Junior Lauren Proctor (La Jolla, Calif.) would have driven in senior pinch runner Michea Holness (Beverly, Mass.) with the Minutewomen's first run, but her shot into the right-center field gap bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double. Holness scored one batter later when Cullington singled to left. Acampora made it a 3-2 game with a sacrifice fly to left field. Normandin tied the game later in the inning with a RBI ground out. Cullington slid under the tag at home making it a 3-3 game.
UMass had a chance to take its first lead in the top of the fifth inning with two on and nobody out and the bases loaded with two outs, but were unable to score. Indiana made UMass pay for the inability to get those runs home in the bottom of the inning. The Hoosiers plated a pair of unearned runs to take a 5-3 lead. Rachel Terry successfully executed a suicide squeeze and then Emily Bergeson drove in another run later in the inning with a two-out single.
That last single also knocked Sanders out of the game. She gave up five runs, three of which were earned, on seven hits and three walks in 4.2 innings. Sanders recorded a career-high six strikeouts.
Balschmiter got the final out of the fifth inning. UMass went 1-2-3 in the sixth and after Balschmiter struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Minutewomen came up for the final time looking to tie the game.
UMass came up with five big runs in the top of the seventh inning to stake Balschmiter an 8-5 lead. Senior Candice Molinari (Glendora, Calif.) led off with a sharp single off the pitcher's leg. Mollica was hit by a 1-2 pitch and then Salato worked a walk to load the bases with nobody out for Proctor. Proctor worked a walk making it a 5-4 game and that set the stage for Cullington.
Cullington crushed a 2-2 pitch well over the left-center field fence for a grand slam. Indiana got out of the inning without any further damage, but Balschmiter needed just three outs to preserve the win.
Balschmiter loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning on a single, walk and an error but was able to induce a game-ending ground out. She improved to 3-3 with the relief win while striking out four batters in 2.1 innings pitched.
In game two, Tennessee Tech loaded the bases with nobody out. Balschmiter recorded an out on a RBI ground out as well as a strikeout, but just when it looked like she would get out of the inning with minimal damage Beth Boden ripped a two-run single up the middle. Katie Speiser then singled up the middle as well following a Boden stolen base making the score 4-0. Balschmiter got out of the inning with her third strikeout, but the damage was done.
The Minutewomen got one of the runs back in the bottom of the second inning. Salato led off with a single and was lifted for Teman as a pinch runner. Teman moved to second base on a Proctor ground out and then came around to score on a single by Cullington making the score 4-1 heading to the third.
Tennessee Tech blew the game wide open in the top of the fourth. A single and an error out two runners on with one out. Boden then made it a 7-1 game with a three-run home run to right field. That blast knocked Balschmiter from the game. She allowed all seven runs, six of which were earned, on seven hits and a walk. Balschmiter recorded three strikeouts.
Sanders relieved Balschmiter and struck out the last two batters of the inning, but the UMass offense had its work cut out for it now down 7-1 heading to the bottom of the fourth inning.
Tennessee Tech added another run in the top of the fifth on a solo home run by Stephanie Fischer. Another home run by Boden, this one a two-run shot, made it a 10-1 game in the sixth.
UMass was unable to score and Tennessee Tech came away with the run-rule win in six innings.
Sanders gave up three earned runs on four hits and no walks in 2.2 innings pitched. She recorded five strikeouts.
Massachusetts continues pool play at the University of South Florida's adidas Invitational on Friday. The Minutewomen are set to face No. 20/19 Georgia Tech at 11:00 AM and then Illinois-Chicago at 4:00 PM. Pool play concludes Saturday at 11:00 AM against Northern Illinois and then bracket play runs Saturday evening through Sunday. Live stats of every UMass game at the adidas Invitational is available via Gametracker at www.umassathletics.com.
