April 25, 2009
Box Score
BOSTON, MA - Freshman catcher Lisa Polsonetti (Revere, MA) doubled in the winning run in the eighth inning of game one to give the University of Massachusetts Boston softball team a 5-4 victory over visiting Plymouth State University, but the Panthers scored six runs in the sixth inning of the night cap to comeback for a 7-5 win today in a Little East Conference doubleheader at the Clark Athletic Center field on the campus of UMass Boston. The Beacons finish their season at 11-21 and set a school-record for conference wins with a 3-11 LEC mark, while Plymouth State is now 21-14 and 6-8 and will be in action again on Thursday, April 30 in the first round of the Little East Conference tourney.
UMass Boston senior center fielder Jenn Widener (Hyde Park, MA) smacked a leadoff double in the bottom of the eighth inning of game one and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, but was caught off third and tagged out when sophomore Leigh Hammontree (Westport, MA) reached on a fielder's choice. Hammontree went to second on the play and scored on Polsonetti's shot to center field for the win.
The Beacons took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when junior right fielder Amanda Cianciulli (Billerica, MA) drew a leadoff walk and later scored on an error after senior third baseman Lauren O'Connor (Everett, MA) singled to right field. O'Connor ended up on second on the play and later scored on a single to left field by sophomore first baseman Elisa LaRoche (Westford, MA). UMass Boston tacked on another run in the third when Cianciulli reached on an infield single and advanced to third on an errant throw on the play. She scored on a single through the left side by sophomore left fielder Christina Polsonetti (Revere, MA) to make it 3-0.
The Panthers got two runs back in the fourth when freshman second baseman Heather Blase (Milford, NH) worked a leadoff walk and trotted home on a two-run homer to right field off the bat of sophomore catcher Kortney Nedeau (Kennebunk, ME). Plymouth State added two more runs in the fifth to take a 4-3 edge when it loaded the bases with one out on consecutive singles by freshmen shortstop Amy Green (Atkinson, NH) and left fielder Allie Luisi (North Kingstown, RI) and a walk drawn by Blase. Nedeau reached on a fielder's choice to plate one run with the other coming around on an error. The Beacons knotted the score at 4-4 in the sixth after Widener clocked a triple to right center field and scored on a fielder's choice by freshman shortstop Ashley Faiella (Hyde Park, MA).
Freshman hurler Kara Willis (Burrillville, RI) earned the win for UMass Boston, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks, while striking out five in eight innings. Senior starter Courtney MacFarland (Hampstead, NH) (11-7) suffered the loss for the Panthers, giving up five runs (three earned) in seven and two-thirds innings on nine hits and three walks to go with three strikeouts.
Plymouth State erased a 5-1 deficit in game two with six runs in the sixth when sophomore right fielder Andrea Pydynkowski (Danvers, MA) and senior designated player Rachel Pothier (Reading, MA) brought in single runs with back-to-back bases loaded singles. Sophomore catcher Laura Kaplan (Franklin, NH) followed with a two-run single, while another run scored on a wild pitch. Senior left fielder Leanne Barry (Auburn, NH) capped the scoring with an RBI single of her own to give the visitors a 7-5 lead.
The Beacons took a 2-0 lead in the second when Faiella reached on an error and Hammontree followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Cianciulli later came through with a two-out single to knock in a run, while Hammontree later scored on an error. The Panthers responded with a run in the third when Pothier led off with a single and later scored when Blase reached on a fielder's choice to cut the lead in half at 2-1. UMass Boston increased its margin to 4-1 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame, thanks to a two-run triple from Widener. The Beacons tacked on another run in the fifth on a Faiella single for a 5-1 advantage, before the Panthers rallied in the sixth.
Junior starting pitcher Jenna George (Cumberland, RI) (8-5) earned the victory for Plymouth State going five innings and yielding five runs (three earned) on eight hits and a walk to go with four strikeouts, while freshman Ali Keith (Northfield, NH) picked up her first collegiate save with two innings of two-hit scoreless relief and a strikeout. Willis (10-16) went the distance in the loss for UMB, giving up seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and two walks in seven innings.
Cianciulli finished the day going 4-7 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Widener was 3-8 with a double, two triples, two RBI and a run scored. O'Connor also contributed, going 3-7 with a double. Widener finishes her career as the Beacons' career leader in games (123) and triples (13), while ranking second with 115 hits, 78 runs and 62 RBI. Nedeau led PSU, going 3-8 with a homer and three RBI, while Pothier, Pydynkowski, Luisi and sophomore first baseman Melissa Caiazzo (Portland, ME) all had three hits on the afternoon.
