MANSFIELD, Conn. – Softball saw their 2022 season come to a close on day one of the Little East Conference tournament as they were handed a pair of one-run losses first by Castleton University then by Plymouth State University in an elimination game Wednesday evening at Eastern Connecticut State University.
THE BASICS
GM1: #5 UMass Boston 4, #4 Castleton University 5
GM2: #5 UMass Boston 3, #6 Plymouth State University 4
UMass Boston (21-19)
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the opener, Castleton would plate a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 5-1 lead. UMass Boston nearly pulled-off a late inning rally thanks to an RBI double by Gabrielle Messier, and a two-run homer from
Brianna Melchionda.
In the circle, Melchionda went all six innings and allowed five runs on four hits, while allowing four walks. The sophomore had three strikeouts in the tournament opener.
With their season on the line, UMass Boston and Plymouth State exchanged runs in the first and third innings.
The Panthers grabbed the lead in the fourth and gained an insurance run in the fifth. The Beacons made it a one-run contest in the sixth, but they could not score the crucial equalizer.
Emily Doble allowed the four runs on nine hits and had three strikeouts.
Hayley Catania went the final 1.1 innings, and did not allow a hit, while striking out two.
BY THE NUMBERS
- The Beacons combined for eight hits in game one, and had seven hits in the nightcap
- UMass Boston's 21 wins is tied for fifth most in program history
- The 2022 record is the Beacons 10th winning season in program history
