University of Massachusets Athletics
Balschmiter & Team USA Win Pan Am Qualifier
August 10, 2009 | Softball
Aug. 10, 2009
AMHERST, Mass. - Team USA, with former UMass softball pitcher Brandice Balschmiter, won the Pan American Qualifier with a 3-1 victory over Canada in the championship game on Sunday in Maracay, Venezuela. Team USA finished the tournament with a 13-1 record, while Balschmiter was 2-0 in the circle in five appearances and posted a 0.44 ERA.
Following a 3-1 loss to the Canadians on Friday, Team USA was forced to win four-straight games over the weekend, culminating with the final game win over Canada on Sunday after defeating the host Venezuelans, 2-0, in the morning game.
Balschmiter was dominant in the circle throughout her five pitching appearances. In 16 innings pitched, she struck out 27 batters, while allowing just one run and four walks. She surrendered just one hit over those 16 frames, holding opposing batters to a .021 batting average.
The recent UMass graduate even did something in the tournament that she didn't all spring with the Minutewomen when she made a plate appearance against Ecuador on August 2, successfully laying down a sacrifice bunt.
Also competing in Venezuela was Balschmiter's 2009 classmate, Davina Hernandez. Hernandez, who has been a part of the Purto Rican National Team since 2007, is eligible because her grandparents were born in Purto Rico. Her team finished third in its pool with a 7-2 record before falling to the Dominican Republic, 13-8, in the medal round. Team Puerto Rico qualified for the 2011 Pan American Games with their finish, but fell one win shy of qualifying for the 2010 World Championships.
Hernandez batted .533 for the tournament with five extra-base hits, five RBI, and nine runs scored. She played primarily right field and started in seven games while playing in a total of eight of her team's 10 games.
Balschmiter was chosen for the Pan Am Qualifying Tournament team following USA Softball's training camp in Chula Vista, Calif. in June. The Pan Am Games are scheduled for October 2011 in Guadalajara, Mexico. The tournament also qualified the Americans for the 2010 Softball World Championship, to be held in Oklahoma City next July.
In 2009, Balschmiter was named a NFCA All-American and was taken with the fifth overall pick of the National Pro Fastpitch draft by the Chicago Bandits. The Newark, N.Y. native was named Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year for a record fourth time, while also earning her fourth-straight A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player, A-10 All-Conference First Team, NFCA All-Region First Team honors, and Easton All-American honors.
