University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Boston College
Softball Cruises Past Boston College, 7-1
April 11, 2007 | Softball
April 11, 2007
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Massachusetts (20-12-1) scored seven unearned runs in the first three innings and never looked back en route to a 7-1 win over Boston College (8-16) Wednesday afternoon at Shea Field. The win was the ninth in a row for the Minutewomen who kicked off an eight-game road trip. UMass scored four runs in the top of the first inning on just one hit, the fifth home run of the season by senior Amanda Acampora (Orange, Conn.). Freshman Bailey Sanders (Durham, Conn.) improved to 5-4 on the year with a complete-game victory. She allowed just two hits, including a solo home run, while walking two and striking out five.
UMass got going right away with four runs in the top of the first off just one hit against Boston College pitcher Britney Thompson. Senior Amanda Morin (Worcester, Mass.) got on base by getting hit by a pitch and then went to second base when senior Candice Molinari (Glendora, Calif.) reached on an error. Junior Stacy Cullington (Encinitas, Calif.) then lifted a fly ball to the warning track in left field. BC left fielder Danielle Pandolfo camped under it, but the ball deflected off her glove and went over the wall. It was ruled a four-base error as it would not have been a home run had Pandolfo not been there, but UMass now had a 3-0 lead without a hit.
Later in the inning, senior Amanda Acampora (Orange, Conn.) hit a no-doubt home run well over the fence in left. It was Acampora's fifth home run of the season and UMass' first hit of the game. The blast, which put the Minutewomen up 4-0, also knocked Thompson out of the game. Savana Lloyd entered the game and was able to get out of the inning without any more damage.
UMass had the makings of a big inning in the third against Lloyd as it loaded the bases with nobody out. Junior Lauren Proctor (La Jolla, Calif.) led off with a walk. Sophomore Whitney Mollica (Windham, N.H.) then laid down a sacrifice bunt, but was able to reach base safely when the first baseman threw the ball wide for BC's third error of the game. Acampora followed with a single through the left side, but the ball was hit so hard that all the runners were only able to move up one base.
It looked like Lloyd was going to be able to get out of the inning as she was able to get freshman Carly Normandin (Gardner, Mass.) to pop out on the infield and then struck out sophomore pinch hitter Samantha Salato (Toms River, N.J.). With freshman Whitney Williams (Kingsley, Pa.) at the plate, Lloyd uncorked a wild pitch and Proctor was able to score. Now with runners at second and third, Williams ripped a two-run single up the middle making the score 7-0. Williams was thrown out trying to advance to second, but the damage had been done.
Sanders was cruising along until the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Jenna Macchi ripped a solo home run to left-center field for the Eagles' first hit of the game. Sanders got out of the rest of the frame and UMass took a 7-1 lead to the fifth.
The Minutewomen were unable to scratch anything more across against BC's third pitcher of the day, Taylor Peyton, but it was more than enough for Sanders. Peyton held UMass scoreless over the final four innings allowing just two hits.
The Minutewomen continue their eight-game road trip by making their first-ever visit to Charlotte, N.C., for an Atlantic 10 Conference series this weekend. Game one will be Friday at 4:00 PM while the second game is set for Saturday at Noon. Free live audio and stats will be available at www.umassathletics.com beginning 10 minutes prior to the scheduled first pitch.
