March 25, 2009
Box Score
BOSTON, MA - Junior Jess Baird (Worcester, MA) went 4-8 with a pair of doubles and three runs batted in to lead the Salem State College softball team in a doubleheader sweep over host University of Massachusetts Boston today, winning the first game, 7-1, and the second, 10-6, at the Clark Athletic Center field on the campus of UMass Boston. The Beacons fall to 1-9 on the season, while the Vikings improve to 8-4.
Salem State scored four times in the top of the fourth to snap a 1-1 tie when Lauren Concannon (Everett, MA) and Ashley Aldred (Arlington, MA) each singled to lead off the inning and junior Amanda Scola (Leominster, MA) singled off the pitcher to give the visitors a 2-1 edge. Jenna Lentine (Methuen, MA) followed with a single to left to increase the Vikings' lead to 3-1, before freshman Michelle Grifoni (Peabody, MA) plated another run with a ground out. Baird capped the scoring with an RBI double to left field for a 5-1 Salem State advantage. The Vikings tacked on single runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to take a 7-1 lead. Taylor Orlando (Danvers, MA) opened the fifth with a single and later scored on an error for Salem State, while Baird stroked a single in the sixth and later came around to score on a wild pitch.
The Vikings got on the board first when Scola worked a walk to lead off the game and later scored on a one-out double to left center field by Grifoni for a 1-0 edge. UMass Boston matched the run in the bottom of the inning when sophomore Christina Polsonetti (Revere, MA) cracked a leadoff double to left center and later scored on a two-out double to right center by senior Courtney Haroules (Littleton, MA).
Freshman pitcher Katelynn Fanning (East Boston, MA) earned the victory for Salem State, going seven innings and allowing just one run on four hits and six walks, while striking out six. Freshman pitcher Kara Willis (Burrillville, RI) took the loss for UMass Boston, yielding seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits and three walks to go with five strikeouts.
Both teams rallied to take the lead late in the second game, but the Vikings' six-run rally in the seventh, without the benefit of a hit, was enough to take the winning margin. The Beacons got the first two outs of the seventh inning, while holding a 6-4 lead, but junior Katie Oram (Lynn, MA), Aldred and senior Katelyn Doherty (Lynnfield, MA) all drew walks to load the bases. Orlando and Scola followed the trend, working back-to-back walks to force in the fifth and sixth runs for Salem State to knot the game at 6-6. Lentine received a free pass to force in the go-ahead run and another run scored on the same play on a throwing error to give the visitors an 8-6 margin. Grifoni then walked and two more runs later scored on a wild pitch to increase the Vikings' lead to 10-6. UMass Boston was unable to score in its half of the inning.
The Beacons scored the first two runs of the contest with single runs in the first and third innings. Polsonetti led off the bottom of the first with a single and later scored with two outs on a single to third base by sophomore Elisa LaRoche (Westford, MA). UMB took a 2-0 lead in the third when freshman Ashley Faiella (Hyde Park, MA) smacked a double to center field to lead off the frame, moved to third on a fly out to right field and scored on a Haroules ground out to shortstop. Salem State rallied for four runs in the fifth when Scola drew a leadoff walk and Grifoni reached on an error to set up a two-run double to left center by Baird to knot the game at 2-2. Concannon plated another run with a single and later scored when Aldred reached on a fielder's choice to give the Vikings a 4-2 lead. UMass Boston reclaimed the lead with four runs of its own in the sixth when Haroules reached on an error and later scored on a sacrifice fly to center by senior Jenn Widener (Hyde Park, MA) to pull to within 4-3. LaRoche had reached prior to that with a single and freshman second baseman Jaci Goodwin (Melrose, MA) drew a walk, before junior right fielder Amanda Cianciulli (Billerica, MA) loaded the bases with an infield single. Polsonetti then followed with a wicked ground ball that ricocheted off the third baseman and rolled near the dugout as two runs scored to give UMB a 5-4 lead. The Beacons tacked on another run when senior third baseman Lauren O'Connor (Everett, MA) singled for a 6-4 advantage.
Doherty picked up the win for Salem State, going six and two-third innings, while allowing six runs (two earned) on 11 hits and two walks to go with four strikeouts. Haroules suffered the loss for UMB, giving up 10 runs (nine earned) on six hits and 11 walks, while fanning six. Lentine and Concannon each contributed to the Vikings' cause with three hits on the day and two runs scored. Concannon also knocked in a pair of runs. Polsonetti led UMass Boston with four hits, including a double and knocked in and scored two runs, while LaRoche collected three hits and picked up an RBI and scored a run.
UMass Boston will be in action again tomorrow when it hosts Framingham State College for a twinbill at 3:00 p.m. at the Clark Athletic Center, while Salem State hosts Bridgewater State College in doubleheader action on Saturday, March 28 at noon.
