University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Florida International
Plourde Pitches #20/25 Softball To A Sweep In Miami
February 14, 2010 | Softball
Feb. 14, 2010
MIAMI, Fla. - Led by 19 strikeouts in nine innings from pitcher Sara Plourde, #20/25 UMass softball notched two wins on the final day of the FIU Combat Classic in Miami, finishing off a 1-0 win over NC State in a suspended game from Friday night, and then defeating the host Golden Panthers, 5-3. The Minutewomen improved to 4-1 on the season before heading to Columbus, Ga. for the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Feb. 26-28.
Katie Bettencourt paced the UMass offense in both games. The sophomore rightfielder accounted for the only run in the Minutewomen's 1-0 win over NC State, hitting a solo home run, the first of her career, in the second inning on Friday, before rain forced the game to be picked up in the bottom of the fourth on Sunday. Against FIU, Bettencourt staked UMass to a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning by doubling to drive in the first run and scoring on an error with the second run.
Plourde pitched aggressively from the start, striking out four Wolfpack batters in two innings of work. For the game, which last just five innings as a time limit had been set, Plourde had 10 strikeouts while allowing four hits in picking up her first shutout of the season. Against FIU, the sophomore hurler set a career-high with 15 strikeouts, including seven in a row at one point. She allowed three runs on two hits, both home runs by Ashley McClain, and three walks.
The FIU game was scoreless in the fourth when Bettencourt doubled to left, scoring Stephanie Mix, who was pinch-running for Jessica Serio, all the way from first. After the throw to the plate got away from the catcher, she chased it down and overthrew the pitcher covering home, allowing Bettencourt to come all the way around to score.
After McClain hit a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 2-1 game, UMass tacked on three more in the top of the fifth. Cyndil Matthew and Whitney Williams led of the frame with back-to-back walks and Kyllie Magill reached on an error off a sacrifice bunt to load the bases. Reeves then came through with a single that score both Matthew and Williams, making it 4-1. After Michelle Libby was intentionally walked to load the bases again, Serio hit a sacrifice fly that drove in Magill with the Minutewomen's fifth run.
FIU got two runs back in the bottom of the sixth homered again, this time with a runner aboard, making it 5-3. The Golden Panthers threatened again in the bottom of the seventh, putting two runners on. With two outs, UMass survived a scare when Kayla Burri's drive to left hooked foul before it cleared the fence, but Plourde was able to end the game by striking her out for her 15th of the contest.
In the suspended NC State game, a predetermined cut-off time of 2 p.m. was established, meaning the game would end then and go back to the last completed inning. UMass posted three runs in the top of the sixth and was still batting when 2 p.m. arrived, negating the three runs and resulting in the 1-0 final score.
