May 1, 2010

Game One Box Score Game Two Box Score

PLYMOUTH, NH - Sophomore Heather Blase (Milford, NH) delivered a clutch two-out, bases-loaded single to center field to knock in two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning Saturday afternoon to lift Plymouth State University to an 8-7 victory over the University of Massachusetts Boston in the second game of a Little East Conference doubleheader on Senior Day at D&M Park.

The Beacons held on for a 2-1 victory in game one of the twin bill and appeared headed for a sweep until PSU rallied for three runs in the seventh inning to pull out the nightcap. The afternoon split gives PSU a 12-19 overall record at 4-8 conference mark, while UMB completes its regular season at 21-18 overall and 5-9 in the Little East.

UMass Boston finished the day in sixth place in the LEC standings with eyes on the final spot in next week's LEC Tournament, but the Panthers are still alive to claim it heading into Sunday's doubleheader at Western Connecticut State University for their final games on the regular season.

Sophomore first baseman Lisa Polsonetti (Revere, MA) drew a bases-loaded walk in the second inning of the opener to put the Beacons on the board, and junior designated player Maria Nasta (Andover, MA) cracked an RBI single to left in the third inning to make it 2-0. PSU sophomore Allie Luisi (North Kingstown, RI) cut the margin in half with her second home run of the season in the fourth inning, but that ended up as all of the scoring in the game.

Junior southpaw Emily Wolf (Salem, NH) scattered eight hits to register the complete-game victory for UMB, striking out four and improving her record to 13-8. She got out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning and retired the Panthers in order in the seventh.

The nightcap was a see-saw battle, with Plymouth State taking a 4-0 lead only to have UMB battle back to go ahead 7-5. Luisi opened the scoring for PSU with an RBI single in the first inning. Sophomore Amy Green (Atkinson, NH), who reached base in all four plate appearances with two hits and two walks, doubled home a run to make it 2-0. Another Panther run came home on a Beacon error, and junior Kortney Nedeau (Kennebunk, ME) capped the rally with an RBI single.

Nasta knocked home UMB's first run with an RBI single in the fourth inning, and PSU errors brought home two more. The Beacons took the lead with three more runs in the fifth inning, two scoring on PSU errors and one on a sacrifice fly by freshman third baseman Marisa McKinnon (Revere, MA) One more run came across in the sixth of Nasta's sacrifice fly.

Junior Andrea Pydynkowski (Danvers, MA) started PSU's game-winning rally in the last inning with a single. After an infield out, a single by freshman Jenn Bove (Medford, MA) put two runners on base before UMB got a second out on an infield grounder. PSU would not be denied, as Green singled to knocked in a run, senior Kay LaBrie (Somersworth, NH) reached on an infield single to load the bases. Blase then drilled the game-winning single to center to score the two winning runs, giving PSU a split on the day.

Ali Keith picked up the win in relief for the Panthers, tossing two innings of scoreless relief, allowing a hit and a walk to close out the game and improve to 6-8 on the season. Sophomore starter Kara Willis (Burrillville, RI) suffered the loss for the Beacons, yielding eight runs (five earned) on 13 hits and three walks, while striking out three in six and two-thirds innings of work. Her final strikeout of the day ended the sixth inning and tied the UMass Boston career record of 164 held for 27 years by Laura Delaney (1981-83). The second putout in the sixth inning was recorded by Polsonetti to give her 367 for her career to tie the school standard held by Leanne Meninger (2006-09).

The Little East Conference double-elimination tournament begins Thursday at the site of the highest seed, which has yet to be determined.