April 18, 2009
Box Score
DANBURY, CT - Trailing by two runs with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Western Conneticut State University junior Becca Andruskiwec (Orange, CT) hit a line-drive to center field. One runner scored to make the score 8-7, but freshman Danielle Basciano (Holmes, NY) was gunned down at home plate trying to score from second base, and the Colonials' rally came up inches short in a heartbreaking loss to Little East Conference rival University of Massachusetts Boston in game two of an afternoon doubleheader at Westside Field Saturday afternoon. The game two victory for the Beacons was their first-ever over the Colonials to snap a string of 25 straight defeats.
In the opener, WestConn jumped out to an early 8-1 first-inning lead, thanks in large part to nine walks and two batters hit by a pitch. The Colonials extended the lead to 15-3 after two innings and were never threatened, taking game one in five innings, 17-4. Freshman Meg Dargon (Trumbull, CT) started and took the win, while junior Kara Cullinane (Lindenhurst, NY) allowed only one run in three innings of work. For the game, UMass Boston pitchers allowed 15 walks in only four innings.
In game two, UMass Boston threatened in the top of the first inning by loading the bases with only one out. Elisa LaRoche (Westport, MA) grounded into an inning-ending double play, third to catcher to first, to end the threat. The starting pitchers, WestConn sophomore Brittany Connors (Waterford, CT) and UMass Boston's Kara Willis (Burrillville, RI), dominated the next two innings before WestConn broke through for two runs in the bottom of the third. Freshman Melissa Fracker (Sandy Hook, CT) led off with a single and later scored on a single by senior Loren Angiolillo (Wolcott, CT). Junior Katelyn Farrell (Startford, CT) also singled, and then scored on a UMass Boston throwing error to give the Colonials a 2-0 lead.
Home runs by sophomore Gina Facchini (Preston, CT) and sophomore Amy Hartman (Ellington, CT) in the fourth and fifth innings respectively gave WestConn a 5-0 lead heading into the final two innings of play. Brittany Connors was dominant through five innings, at one point retiring 10 UMass Boston batters in a row, but in the sixth two UMass Boston hits and two WestConn errors led to three UMass Boston runs, and when the Colonials went quickly in the bottom of the sixth the lead had been trimmed to 5-3.
After retiring the lead-off batter in the top of the seventh, back to back singles put UMass Boston runners on first and second and spelled the end of the day for Connors. First-game winner Meg Dargon came on in relief and struck out the first batter she faced, putting the Colonials one out away from the sweep, but two UMass Boston singles tied the score 5-5. A walk loaded the bases for the Beacons, and when Ashley Faiella (Hyde Park. MA) hit a double deep to the gap in left-center the five-run rally was complete and UMass Boston had taken an 8-5 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, two infield pop-outs left the Colonials down three runs with no runners on base and two outs. Four WestConn singles in a row set up the dramatic finish with the bases loaded, two outs, and the Colonials trailing 8-6. When Becca Andruskiwec's shot cleared the infield it appeared the Colonials would score two runs and tie the game with runners still in scoring position. However, UMass Boston centerfielder Jenn Widener (Hyde Park, MA) charged the ball and made a perfect throw home to cut down the tying run at the plate and give the Beacons an exciting 8-7 victory.
Meg Dargon earns the win in game one for the Colonials, but takes the loss in game two for an 8-4 record on the season. Courtney Haroules (Littleton, MA) suffers the loss for the Beacons in game one, while Kara Willis picks up the game-two victory and moves to 9-12 overall on the season. WestConn's season record now stands at 15-13, 5-3 in the Little East Conference, while UMass Boston is 10-16, 2-6 in the LEC. The Colonials will be in action again Sunday, April 19th, when they host LEC rival Keene State in a double header slated to begin at 1:00pm.
