Freshman pitcher Brandice Balshmiter faced 26 batters in the Massachusetts softball team's Game 1 contest against Saint Louis yesterday afternoon. Balshmiter allowed just one hit, and zero runs. Regardless, she walked into the dugout following Game 1 with a loss, as the Minutewomen allowed one unearned run, losing to the Billikens 1-0. Game 2 was a different story, however, as UMass blew out Saint Louis 13-3.
The Minutewomen (27-13, 12-2 Atlantic-10) have a break from the A-10 tomorrow when they take on the Blue Devils of Central Connecticut at 3:30 p.m. in New Britain, Conn.
The loss against Saint Louis in Game 1 was just the second for UMass since April 9, when it fell to Charlotte 2-1 in a doubleheader at the UMass Softball Complex. The loss also snapped a nine-game winning streak for the Minutewomen.
Billiken pitcher Lorena Floccari dominated Game 1, not giving the Minutewoman offense anything at all. Senior K.J. Kelley and junior Candice Molinari were the only Minutewomen who were able to register hits in the game, combining for a total of three.
In the very first outing for the Saint Louis offense in the first inning of the afternoon, Jill Pursell was hit by one of Balshmiter's pitches on a 2-2 count. A sacrifice bunt by Ashlee Heady advanced Pursell to second base, and after a passed ball, Pursell moved to third. The first and only run of the game came on yet another passed ball, which Pursell took full advantage of, advancing to home plate and recording the eventual game-winning run.
The proceeding six innings were scoreless for both sides, and despite Balshmiter fanning nine batters and allowing just one hit, UMass was handed its 13th loss of the season.
Regardless of the loss, Balshmiter still holds an A-10-high ERA of 0.68, a personal record of 20-7 with one save, and is now fourth on the school's single-season strikeout list with 209.
While Game 1 was a defensive struggle on both ends, the second half of the doubleheader was all offense, as the Minutewomen recorded their first runs of the day in the first inning of Game 2.
After Molinari reached on a single to right field, both Kelley and Stacy Cullington were walked, loading the bases for Lauren Proctor. The sophomore from La Jolla, Calif., then knocked a single into centerfield, driving in both Molinari and Kelley.
Amanda Morin accounted for the one run of the second inning - a double down the right field line, which scored Lesley Ferrara. While the Minutewomen did not score any runs in the third inning, it was in the fourth that their bats really began connecting. It began with a double by Ferrara to right field, and then a bunt-single by Kristi Stefanoni. Morin then added two more RBIs to her total with a shot to centerfield. With Proctor and Cullington on base later in the inning, Samantha Salato pinch-hit for Amanda Acampora. Salato then closed out the scoring with a two-RBI double to centerfield.
Freshman Whitney Mollica collected her first and only RBI of the day in the fifth inning off of a double to right field, which drove in Morin.
Although the Billikens began to play catch-up in the bottom of the fifth, mustering three runs, senior pitcher Jenna Busa kept their offense at bay in Game 2, allowing just six hits, three runs, and striking out six batters. Busa's ERA has improved lately after a rocky start, with it now being 5.39. The senior has a record of 7-6, while recording 44 strikeouts.
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