MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Sophomore utility player Amauri English is swinging a red-hot bat to start the season for UMass Boston Softball, the sophomore's 3-for-3 afternoon with two singles, double, and 3 RBIs led the way for the Beacons who are 3-0 and off to their best start since 2017 after defeating University of Saint Joseph, 9-1 in five innings, down in Myrtle Beach on Sunday.

THE BASICS

UMass Boston 9, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) 1  (5 Innings)

UMass Boston (3-0)

University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) (1-2)

HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second straight game, UMass Boston would jump in front early as a leadoff walk followed by back-to-back singles by senior outfielder Sydney Sanden and junior designated player Bri Melchionda loaded the bases up with nobody out in the first. An RBI groundout by senior first baseman Jordan Toomey gave the Beacons the lead 1-0. With two outs in the inning, English laced a two-run double to left field, extending the UMass Boston advantage to three runs after one.

Sophomore first baseman Alyssa Roberts would get one back for Saint Joseph in the second inning on her RBI groundout following a leadoff triple from freshman infielder Alexis Volinsky as UMass Boston maintained a 3-1 lead.

In response, the Beacons would double their run total, making it 6-1, as freshman infielder Lauren Miner continued the hot start to her collegiate career with a two-run double following a Sanden double and Melchionda hit by a pitch along with another RBI base knock for English, giving her three-RBIs in her first two at bats of the day.

UMass Boston deliver the finishing blow in the fifth inning, forcing their second consecutive eight-run mercy rule as back-to-back singles from Miner and English made way for a two-run double from sophomore transfer catcher Kaitlyn Sawyer, who advanced to third on an errant throw. Sophomore infielder Lauryn Bethea ended the game with her RBI double, scoring pinch running freshman Kyleigh Gray for the game-ending run in the 9-1 victory.

In her five innings of work, junior pitcher Emily Doble held the bats of the Blue Jays in check, allowing one run on three hits while striking out four and walking one in her second victory in two games.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• With her 3 RBIs, Amauri English now has 6 RBIs in the first three games after finishing last year with just 8 RBIs in 28 games played
• Sydney Sanden finished 2-for-2 with a single, double, walk, a stolen base, and scoring twice
• With 25 runs in their first three games, UMass Boston is averaging 8.6 runs per game after averaging 4.2 runs per game last season  
• At 3-0, this is the best start to a season for UMass Boston since beginning the 2017 season with a 4-0 record

WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston has the day off on Monday before continuing their spring break trip in South Carolina with a doubleheader on Tuesday against College of Mount Saint Vincent and Stevenson University at 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM respectively. This will be the first time in program history in which the Beacons have played both teams.