University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Saint Joseph's
Softball Sweeps St. Joe's, Win Streak Now At 15
April 22, 2007 | Softball
April 22, 2007
EAST NORRITON, Pa. -- An offensive explosion of 18 runs on 17 hits with 10 stolen bases gave the Massachusetts Softball Team (26-12-1, 12-0 Atlantic 10) a doubleheader sweep of Saint Joseph's, 10-2 and 8-0 Sunday afternoon. Both games ended in five innings. Senior Amanda Acampora (Orange, Conn.) led the attack going 4-for-6 with a double and five RBI. Senior Amanda Morin (Worcester, Mass.) was 4-for-7 with two RBI while sophomore Whitney Mollica (Windham, N.H.) was 2-for-4 with six RBI including a grand slam. Senior Candice Molinari (Glendora, Calif.) also went 3-for-6 and stole three bases. Sophomore Brandice Balschmiter (Newark, N.Y.) improved to 19-8 with a win in game one and freshman Bailey Sanders (Durham, Conn.) tossed her first career shutout with a two-hitter and a career-high nine strikeouts in just five innings of game two.
In game one, UMass got going right away with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Molinari got it going with a one-out single and stole second base. Junior Stacy Cullington (Encinitas, Calif.) was struck out by SJU pitcher Lauren Cognini, but reached base on a wild pitch. After senior pinch runner Jackie Teman (Downingtown, Pa.) stole second base, junior Lauren Proctor (La Jolla, Calif.) drove in the first run of the game with a ground out to the right side. Later in the inning, Acampora made it 2-0 with a two-out, RBI single to left.
After UMass was held scoreless in the top of the second, the Hawks were able to tie the game against Balschmiter in the bottom half of the inning by scoring a pair of unearned runs. The Hawks had just one infield single in the inning, but took advantage of two UMass errors.
The Minutewomen got the two runs back in the top of the third and then broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning. In the third, Molinari got it going with a single and was sacrificed to second base by Cullington. After going to third on a wild pitch, Proctor walked making it first and third. With Mollica at the plate, Proctor stole second base putting two in scoring position. A RBI fielder's choice by Mollica and a RBI single off the bat of Acampora gave the Minutewomen a 4-2 advantage.
UMass then put the game away with five runs in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, freshman Whitney Williams (Kingsley, Pa.) singled and scored from first base on a double by Morin off the wall in right-center field. Later in the inning, walks to Molinari and Proctor set the stage for Mollica. She took the first pitch she saw from Cognini over the wall in right-center for her second career grand slam. It opened up the game and Balschmiter now had a 9-2 lead heading to the bottom of the fourth inning.
Balschmiter allowed a one-out single in the bottom of the fourth, but the defense turned a double-play behind her to retire the side. Needing one run in the top of the fifth to enforce the run-rule, the UMass bats were able to manufacture a run to do just that. Sophomore Samantha Salato (Toms River, N.J.) singled and came around to score on a single later in the inning by Morin.
Balschmiter again used a double-play, the second in as many innings, to retire the side in the bottom of the fifth and secure the Minutewomen's 14th straight win. She allowed four hits and two unearned runs while walking no batters and fanning two.
After UMass was set down by SJU pitcher Dani Gonzalez in the first, the Hawks appeared poised to take the first lead of the game in the bottom of the first. A pair of singles and a stolen base gave the Hawks runners at second and third with just one out. Sanders (7-4) came back to get a strikeout and a ground out ending the inning and allowed just one base runner for the rest of the game, a two-out walk in the fourth. She retired 14 of the final 15 batters while striking out a career-high nine batters and walking just the one batter.
The Minutewomen broke through for two runs in the second and three more in the third as they built a 5-0 lead largely because of seven Saint Joseph's errors. Proctor led off the frame with a single through the left side and then Mollica reached as well while sacrificing her to second on the Hawks' first error of the game. Teman pinch ran for Mollica and she as well as Proctor advanced up a base on a wild pitch. After just missing a home run that hooked foul at the last minute, Acampora laced a two-run double in the left-field corner making it a 2-0 game.
UMass opened it up a little in the third with three more runs. Morin and Molinari each singled and were sacrificed into scoring position by Cullington. Proctor reached on an error allowing Morin to score the game's third run. After stealing second base, Proctor and Molinari executed a double-steal as Molinari raced hone with the game's fourth run. Mollica ripped a double into right-center field making it a 5-0 game.
With Sanders on cruise control, the offense gave her three more runs in the top of the fifth to enforce the run-rule. Four Hawk errors in the inning contributed largely to the runs. Acampora had a RBI single and the other two runs scored off of SJU miscues in the field.
In the bottom of the fifth, Sanders struck out the side to preserve the shutout. She threw 73 pitches in the two-hitter.
The Minutewomen have completed their road schedule this regular season and will open up a nine-game homestand Wednesday afternoon against Connecticut. First pitch is set for 5:00 PM from the UMass Softball Complex. Free live audio and stats will be available at www.umassathletics.com beginning at 4:50 PM with the pre-game show.
