PLYMOUTH, N.H. – After allowing 10 unanswered runs in game one and falling 10-2, a wild finish to game two for UMass Boston Softball in their Little East Conference doubleheader against Plymouth State University helped the Beacons take home a 3-2 victory, snapping their season-long three-game losing streak and splitting their conference twinbill on the road.
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 2, Plymouth State University 10 (5 Innings)
UMass Boston 3, Plymouth State University 2
UMass Boston (17-9, 4-4 LEC)
Plymouth State University (12-12, 3-3 LEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: UMass Boston 2, Plymouth State University 10 (5 Innings)
Sophomore infielder
Kaylee Bruce, who recently has become a regular in the UMass Boston starting lineup, kicked off the scoring with a two-run single in the third inning which gave the Beacons a 2-0 lead. From there it would be all Plymouth State as the Panthers went on to score 10 unanswered runs over the course of the next three innings.
Working against junior pitcher
Emily Doble, an RBI single by sophomore first baseman Mia Ly cut the Panther deficit to one, 2-1, in the third. Plymouth State would take the lead and never look back in the very next inning as an RBI single from freshman infielder Abbey Nezuch and a sacrifice fly by senior utility player Sam McCann saw the Panthers jump ahead, 3-2.
A seven-run fifth inning would help Plymouth State enact the eight-run mercy rule after five frames as an RBI single by freshman utility player Emily Bessette, three-run double by Nezuch, RBI single from graduate second baseman Lauren Archambault, and two-run double by graduate catcher Emily Picard capped off a 10-2 win in game one for the Panthers.
Game 2: UMass Boston 3, Plymouth State University 2
Junior pitcher
Bri Melchionda and sophomore pitcher Kate McGrath would battle in the circle for the first three innings before either team would get on the board. After Melchionda allowed no hits through the first 3 2/3 innings, an RBI single from sophomore centerfielder Jade Guertin would be the first hit and run of the game for Plymouth State. The Panthers would total three hits which were all singles in the inning, leading to two runs after another RBI single for Nezuch made it 2-0 Plymouth State after four.
Through the first five innings, the Beacons would strand seven runners on base while tallying seven hits against McGrath before finally being able to break through. Loading the bases up on three straight singles with one out, UMass Boston would knock McGrath out of the game as Plymouth State would turn to Sam McCann to try getting out of the jam. The senior right-hander would issue three walks to the Beacons around a strikeout which helped UMass Boston take their first lead of the contest, 3-2.
But Plymouth State would threaten to tie the game up and seemingly did just that with one out in the seventh. With Nezuch on second after her double, sophomore utility player Madison Pelletier hit a game-tying double but the Panthers batted out of order as McCann was supposed to be at the dish causing Pelletier to be ruled out and Nezuch brought back to second base. After an infield single and walk, the bases would be loaded for Plymouth State before Melchionda struck out Ly to give the Beacons their fourth LEC doubleheader split of the season.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Emily Doble suffered her seventh loss of the season in the circle for game one, going 4 1/3 innings and giving up 10 runs (nine earned) on 11 hits while striking out three and walking seven
- Bri Melchionda took the game two victory, her 10th of the season, after going seven innings and allowing two runs on five hits while striking out eight and walking four
- UMass Boston snaps their three-game losing streak with the game two victory, their longest of the season up to this point
- In the head-to-head series, UMass Boston has split their last four games with Plymouth State
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston returns home on Tuesday afternoon for a doubleheader against UMass Dartmouth with game one scheduled to start at 3:00 PM. The Beacons have dropped their last four matchups with the Corsairs, losing both of their games on the road last year by one run.
