March 26, 2011

Game One Box Score   Game Two Box Score

BOSTON, MA - The University of Massachusetts Boston softball team combined to score 37 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Massachusetts Maritime Academy, 11-2, 26-3, Saturday afternoon at the Clark Athletic Center field on the campus of UMass Boston. With their fourth consecutive victory, UMB improves to 8-4 for the best start in the program's history while the loss drops the Buccaneers to 0-6 overall.

In game one, the Beacons struck early plating two in the first and never looked back. Junior right fielder Jaci Goodwin (Melrose, MA) and sophomore catcher Sue Killilea (Abington, MA) both worked walks and came around to score on RBI singles by senior third baseman Maria Nasta (Andover, MA) and junior pitcher Katie Corey (Weymouth, MA). The Buccaneers got one back in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single by junior third baseman Holly McLaughlin (Belmont, MA) to make it a 2-1 contest.

The Beacons opened up a three-run lead in the third inning scoring two runs on two hits. Killilea led off the inning with a walk and scored on an RBI double to the base of the left field fence by Nasta and Corey helped her own cause with an RBI double to left center plating Nasta to make it 4-1. The Beacons would go on to load the bases with no outs but freshman pitcher Jaclyn Labrecque (Sutton, MA) was able to work her way out of the jam.

UMass Boston would push seven more runs across in the fifth to increase its lead to 11-1. Senior centerfielder Christina Polsonetti (Revere, MA) led off the inning with a walk and came around on a fielder's choice by sophomore shortstop Taryn Asta (Marshfield, MA) before junior first baseman Lisa Polsonetti (Revere, MA) would score on an RBI bunt single by Goodwin to make it 6-1. With Goodwin on, Killilea would make it 8-1 with a two-run homer to right field. Nasta followed it up with a triple and scored on an RBI single by Corey, her third RBI of the game. Freshman utility player Natalia Bouyea (East Longmeadow, MA) pinch ran for Corey and came around to score on an RBI single by C. Polsonetti, making it 10-1. The final UMass Boston run of the inning came around following a Buccaneer resulting in the 11-1 score heading into the bottom of the fifth. Mass. Maritime was able to put one run on the board in the bottom half of the frame when sophomore catcher Rachel Johnson (South Chatham, MA) drove in sophomore right fielder Laura Basile (Cambridge, MA) on a fielder choice to make it 11-2, which would prove to be the final score of the game.

Corey earned the win allowing two runs on three hits while striking out four to improve to 4-2 on the year while LeBrecque suffered the loss for the Bucs, dropping to 0-3 on the season.

In the top of the first in game two, the Beacons jumped out to an early 3-0 lead behind a sacrifice fly from freshman third baseman Erika Vecchiet (Pequannock, NJ) and an RBI double by C. Polsonetti. Sophomore second baseman Kasey O'Connell (Quincy, MA) would make it 4-0 with an RBI single up the middle in the second inning before Nasta belted a two-RBI double to left center to give UMass Boston the 6-0 advantage.

The Buccaneers were able to get two back in the bottom of the second on only one hit, a single by sophomore pitcher Janelle Beaulieu (Buzzards Bay, MA). The Beacons, however, were able to limit the damage and keep the game at 6-2 by working out of a one out bases loaded jam.

In the third, a two-RBI single by Asta helped UMass Boston continue to build the lead up to 8-2 before a two-RBI double by O'Connell made it a 10-2 contest. Nasta continued her productive day delivering an RBI triple to right before the Beacons went on to score two more unearned runs resulting in a 13-2 lead. Mass Maritime would get one back in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single by freshman centerfield Lisa Burke (Hanson, MA), pulling the score to 13-3. The Beacons would continue to push, scoring two more in the fourth for a 15-3 lead. O'Connell would add a bases clearing triple in the fifth and come in to score on an RBI single to left by Nasta to make it 19-3. UMass Boston would go on to score seven more runs capped by a three-RBI triple to right-centerfield by junior right fielder Erica Sherman (West Haven, CT) for a 26-3 margin.

O'Connell finished the second game with six RBI, tying the UMass Boston single-game record last accomplished by Jenn Widener (2006-09) in 2008.

Senior southpaw Emily Wolf (Salem, NH) earned the victory to improve to 4-2 on the season while junior pitcher Kara Willis (Burrillville, RI) chucked two scoreless innings of relief for the Beacons. Beaulieu took the loss for the Buccaneers and drops to 0-3 on the season.

UMass Boston will return to action on Tuesday, March 29 when they host Bridgewater State for a twinbill beginning at 3:00 p.m. while the Buccaneers travel to North Dartmouth, MA for a doubleheader vs. UMass Dartmouth on Wednesday, March 30 beginning at 3:30 p.m.