University of Massachusets Athletics
Softball Set To Face Boston University Thursday At 5:00
April 25, 2007 | Softball
April 25, 2007
AMHERST, Mass. - After having Wednesday's game against UConn rained out, Massachusetts (26-12-1) looks to extend its 15-game winning streak Thursday afternoon against red-hot Boston University (28-9) Thursday at 5:00 PM. The Terriers have won 12 of their last 13 games while the Minutewomen own the third-longest winning streak in the nation. UMass is also tied with Alabama for the second-longest home winning streak (21). If you can's make it out to the UMass Softball Complex, listen to all of the action in the Amherst area on WMUA, 91.1 FM or online at www.umassathletics.com.
Despite just 90 miles between these two schools, UMass and BU have played only seven times in history.The Minutewomen are 5-2 vs. the Terriers and won rhe last game between these two teams 4-3 on May 3, 2005 at the UMass Softball Complex.
This game also plays a major role in terms of potential NCAA Tournament seeding. According to the latest NFCA Simulated RPI, UMass is No. 54 while BU is No. 52.
Killer B's On A Roll
• UMass' tandem in the circle of sophomore Brandice Balschmiter and freshman Bailey Sanders have been putting up some impressive numbers recently.
• Since March 19, the duo are 16-1 with a minuscule 0.69 ERA. The Killer B's have held opponents to a .131 batting average and struck out 115 batters in 25.1 innings.
• Balschmiter is 12-0 in this stretch with a 0.56 ERA. Opponents are hitting .125 off of her while striking out 84 times in 75.2 innings pitched.
• She has six shutouts and a no-hitter (March 28 vs. Dartmouth), the second of her career, during this time.
• Sanders, meanwhile, is 4-1 with a 1.11 ERA. Opponents are hitting .151 off Sanders and struck out 31 times in 25.1 innings pitched.
• Sanders picked up her first career shutout while striking out a career-high nine batters in just five innings April 22 at Saint Joseph's.
• The Killer B's have walked just 27 batters in 101.0 innings pitched for an impressive 4.3 strikeout to walk ratio.
Cullington Continues Home Run Onslaught
• UMass junior Stacy Cullington became the 16th player in school history to homer twice in a game when she did it against Temple April 21.
• What was unique about this is that Cullington was intentionally walked six times out of eight plate appearances in the series. She homered in her only two official plate appearances.
• Cullington is now first on the team and second in the A-10 with 10 home runs.
• She is just the sixth player in the history of the program to hit at least 10 round-trippers in a season. Cullington needs four more to tie KJ Kelley for the all-time single-season record of 14 that she set in 2005.
• Cullington paces the Atlantic 10 with 38 RBI.
Love That Home Cookin'
• UMass has currently reeled off 21 straight wins at home, which is tied with Alabama for the second longest active streak in the nation. This includes three wins in the NCAA Tournament last year. The last loss for the Minutewomen at the UMass Softball Complex was a 2-1 defeat to Charlotte on April 9, 2006. UMass has previously held a 73-game home winning streak. That was stopped by Saint Joseph's in the 2004 A-10 Tournament.
• The Minutewomen are still 124-9-1 (.929) all-time at the UMass Softball Complex. The Minutewomen are 63-4 (.941) against league foes and 3-0 in the NCAA Tournament at the UMass Softball Complex. Here is a statistical breakdown of how the Minutewomen have fared all-time at the UMass Softball Complex.
AVG: .346 (1130-3269)
Opp. AVG.: .160 (499-3116)
Runs: 839 (6.3/game)
Opp. Runs: 154 (1.1/game)
Home Runs: 85 (0.63/game)
Opp. Home Runs: 15 (0.11/game)