MANSFIELD, Conn.—#6 Eastern Connecticut State University bashed four home runs and 23 hits across 11 innings, to sweep UMass Boston softball on the final day of the 2021 regular season.
THE BASICS
#6 Eastern Connecticut State 9, UMass Boston 1 (6 Innings)
#6 Eastern Connecticut State 11, UMass Boston 0 (5 Innings)
(UMass Boston 3-12, Little East 3-12)
(Eastern Connecticut State 26-2, Little East 14-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beacons scratched across a single run on five hits in game and sophomore
Elsa Vinacco (Bolton, Mass.) recorded her first collegiate hit in game two to break up the Warriors no-hit bid.
Saturday's games marked the final games in the careers of seniors
Kelly Danahy (Kingston, Mass.),
Drew Washington (Bordentown, N.J.) and
Tori Dicenso (Lynn, Mass.).
GAME ONE RECAP
Eastern Connecticut State scored a run in every inning and Warriors ace Carly Stoker struck out eight batters to move to 13-0.
Dicenso drove in the Beacons' lone run of the contest in the top of the fourth inning, when her single plated
Caley Ruggiero (Soutbury, Conn.).
Brianna Melchionda (Marshfield, Mass.), Danahy, Ruggiero, Washington and Dicenso each had a base hit in game one. Vinacco worked a walk in her first collegiate plate appearance.
In the circle, Melchionda took the loss after giving up five runs (three earned) in 2.1 innnings. Haley Catania (Amesbury, Mass.) and
Emily Doble (Danvers, Mass.) combined to work the final 3+ innings for the Beacons.
GAME TWO RECAP
The Warriors scored five runs in the first and six more in the third inning to wrap up a 17-1 home schedule.
Vinacco who was making her first collegiate start, singled to right field with two outs in the top of the third inning for the Beacons' lone hit of the contest.
Sophomore
Meghan Adams (Porstmouth, N.H.) took the loss in her first collegiate start. Adams allowed six hits and five earned runs in 3 innings.
Catania and Doble combined to get the final three outs.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Eastern improved to 50-4 all-time against the Beacons. The Warriors have won the last eight meetings.
- Danahy finishes her career with 95 hits in 99 career contests.
- Vinacco made her collegiate debut in game of the doubleheader. Fellow freshman Lauryn Bethea (Springfield, Mass.) came on and played catcher for the first time in her collegiate career in game two.
- Melchionda finishes the season with a strikeout rate of 8.2 strikeouts per 7 innings (45.2 IP). She would have the set the record for a single-season if she had met the minimum innings pitched mark of 80 innings.
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston will return 15 of their 18 players for the 2022 season.
