MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – After suffering a tough game one loss, softball bounced back in a big way in the nightcap as they posted an 11-2 five inning win over Lancaster Bible College Tuesday afternoon at Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic.
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 0, Muhlenberg College 3
UMass Boston 11, Lancaster Bible 2 (5 inns)
UMass Boston (2-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the opener the Beacons played their best game of the young season against a tough Muhlenberg squad. The two teams were deadlocked at 0-0 until the top of the seventh inning. In that inning, Muhlenberg plated a pair of runs on a single, before taking advantage of a defensive miscue to clinch the victory.
Ally Diaute recorded two of the Beacons three hits in the loss, while
Brianna Melchionda went all seven innings in the circle. The righty allowed the three runs, two earned, on five hits and had six strikeouts and only one walk.
The Beacons bats erupted in game two as they completely overwhelmed the Lancaster Bible pitchers.
UMB put-up a combined 11 hits in the contest.
Sarah Harlinski recorded the team's only extra base hit, an RBI triple in the second, which made it 4-0 in favor of UMB at the time. Lancaster Bible responded with a run in the second and one in the third to cut UMB's lead in half.
However, any chance of LBC charging back was completely neutralized in the fourth, when the Beacons tacked on five runs. They then scored a pair of runs in the fifth to secure the five-inning victory, their second in less than 24 hours.
Caley Ruggiero went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored to help the Beacons even their record at 2-2.
Hayley Catania picked-up her first win, after surrendering the two runs on five hits, while also fanning two.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Tuesday's contest against Muhlenberg was the first-ever meeting between the two teams
- All-time UMass Boston is now 2-1 against Lancaster Bible
- The Beacons last faced LBC in 2017 when they earned a 9-1 win in six innings
- On the day the Beacons combined for 11 runs on 14 hits, while also striking out eight
WHO'S NEXT
The Beacons will be back in action on Thursday when they face University of St. Joseph (CT) at 11:30 a.m. and Franciscan University at 3:30 p.m.
