University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Charlotte
Boutin's Blast Leads UMass Over Charlotte, 1-0
March 18, 2011 | Softball
March 18, 2011
CHARLOTTE - Audrey Boutin led off the second inning with a home run and that was all the offense that was needed as Sara Plourde pitched out of a bases-loaded, nobody out jam in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure a three-hit shutout as UMass softball (7-11) defeated Charlotte (13-13), 1-0 on Friday afternoon in the Atlantic 10 Conference opener for both teams at the D.L. Phillips Complex.
Charlotte loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning on two ground ball singles through the infield and an error on a bunt, but Plourde was up to the task, getting a strikeout, a fly out to left field, and a fly out to right field to end the game.
Boutin led off the top of the second inning by driving a 3-1 pitch deep over the left-center field fence for her second home run of the season. The senior finished the game 1-for-1 with two walks. The home run was one of five UMass hits in the game.
After allowing a walk to the first batter she faced, Plourde (7-8) allowed just one base-runner until the seventh inning, a one-out double by Kalie Lang in the fifth inning. The junior finished with eight strikeouts while allowing three hits and one walk as she won her fifth straight decision.
Prior to the seventh inning, Charlotte stranded runners at third base on two occasions. Whitney Williams walk in the first inning, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch with one out, but Plourde got a strikeout and a pop-out to get out of that jam, and Lang reached third in the fifth inning after she doubled, but Plourde induced a two-out ground out to end that threat.
The Minutewomen left five runners on base, including two in the sixth inning when Hackett got a fly out and a strikeout to strand the runners at first and second after Meghan Carta doubled and Boutin walked.
The Minutewomen and 49ers wrap up their two-game series on Saturday at noon.
