March 16, 2011

Box Score

CLERMONT, FL - The No. 8 Ithaca College softball team defeated the University of Massachusetts Boston, 3-2, Wednesday morning at the NTC Athletic Complex in Clermont, FL. With the victory, the Bombers stay perfect and improve to 5-0 on the year while the Beacons fall to 2-3 on the year.

UMass Boston got on the board first, scoring in the bottom of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. Junior right fielder Jaci Goodwin (Melrose, MA) started the inning off with a bunt single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore second baseman Kasey O'Connell (Quincy, MA). Sophomore Taryn Asta (Marshfield, MA) followed it up with a bunt single of her own to put runners at the corners and one batter later stole second, drawing an errant throw which allowed Goodwin to score from third.

The Bombers answered in the top of the fourth, scoring three to take the 3-1 lead. Sophomore first baseman Molly O'Donnell (Niskayuna, NY) belted a two-RBI double down the left field line to give Ithaca its first lead of the afternoon and three batters later, sophomore catcher Lindsey Johnson (Manchester, CT) drove in the third run on a fielder's choice to make it a 3-1 contest.

The Beacons made it a one-run contest when senior centerfielder Christina Polsonetti (Revere, MA) scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 3-2 game. Polsonetti got the inning starting by reaching first via a hit by pitch. She'd advance to second on a bunt single by Goodwin and to third on a ground out before crossing the plate on a wild pitch during sophomore catcher Sue Killilea's (Abington, MA) at bat. With the tying run now at third in Goodwin, freshman pitcher Jillian Olmstead (Magnolia, DE) was able to retire Killilea with a groundout, stranding the tying run at third.

Olmstead and senior pitcher Britt Lillie (Mendon, NY) would make the one run lead stand up as Lillie came on hurling two perfect innings in relief to notch the save. For UMass Boston, junior pitcher Katie Corey (Weymouth, MA) lost her second consecutive one-run decision going the distance and allowing only three runs on seven hits while striking out six.

UMass Boston is back in action later today when they take on Western New England College at 11:30 a.m. while Ithaca also plays at 11:30 a.m. vs. SUNY Geneseo.