BOSTON, Mass. – On the outside looking in when it came to the LEC Tournament heading into the day, UMass Boston Softball picked up a pivotal conference doubleheader split against Castleton University, shaking off a defensive struggle in game one which saw the Beacons fall 7-1 to the Spartans, before coming back to win decisively in game two, 4-1, and move to 5-9 in Little East Conference play with two games remaining.
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 1, Castleton University 7
UMass Boston 4, Castleton University 1
UMass Boston (19-14, 5-9 LEC)
Castleton University (14-12, 7-5 LEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: UMass Boston 1, Castleton University 7
Three runs would come across in the third inning for Castleton as a steal by graduate utility player Hannah Mosher drew a throw from sophomore catcher
Kaitlyn Sawyer which ended up in center field, allowing graduate third baseman Kayla Fac to score. An RBI groundout and RBI single from freshman infielder Samera Rideout and freshman infielder Alexis Rogers would push across the other two runs in the frame.
A two-run double in the fifth inning by freshman utility player Alexandra Brouillette as well as a two-RBI single by Rideout in the sixth inning, giving her three RBIs in the game, extended the Spartans lead to seven runs.
Sophomore utility player
Amauri English would plate a run on a fielder's choice in which an error by junior infielder Allison Almond allowed a run to come in, making it a 7-1 game in the sixth. The Beacons would load up the bases with two outs in the inning but were unable to pull closer against senior pitcher Olivia Joy. UMass Boston also had first and second with one out in the seventh before being retired by Joy to end the game.
Game 2: UMass Boston 4, Castleton University 1
This time around it would be UMass Boston who struck for three runs in the third inning as they would load the bases against Rogers, who got the start in game two, on two base hits and a walk. With one out in the frame, English would hit the ball towards Rideout at first who elected to come home on the play which would pull Mosher off the bag, giving the Beacons a 1-0 lead. The next batter in freshman infielder
Lauren Miner would cash in on two more runs for UMass Boston on her RBI single before Rogers escaped the jam with the Spartans trailing 3-0.
Castleton would plate a run in the fourth after a leadoff single by senior outfielder Erin Ricks led to an RBI single by Mosher, making it 3-1 in favor of the Beacons. Junior pitcher
Bri Melchionda would run into some trouble in the fifth as the Spartans would put runners on first and second with one out and send the go-ahead run to the plate in Brouillette. But Melchionda would escape the frame without allowing a run to score, forcing Brouillette to foul out and striking out pinch hitter Madison Wilson.
Freshman outfielder
Sofie Richland would bring home an insurance run for UMass Boston in the sixth on her sacrifice fly after freshman outfielder
Adrianna Fusco led off the inning with a single turned double after she outhustled the throw into second. Melchionda would hold the 4-1 lead for the Beacons in the seventh, retiring the Spartans in order to secure a big game two victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Olivia Joy earned the win for Castleton n game one, going all seven innings allowing one run on six hits while striking out four and walking three
- Entering in the top of the fourth inning in game one, sophomore outfielder Mackenzie Cahill made a season and career-high four putouts
- Earning the game two victory, Bri Melchionda went seven innings allowing one run on seven hits while striking out eight and walking one
- The game two win snaps UMass Boston's two-game losing streak against Castleton. The Beacons have dropped four of their last six matchups against the Spartans dating back to 2021
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston closes their week at home with their Mental Health Awareness doubleheader set to take place against Curry College on Thursday afternoon. First pitch of game one is slated for 3:00 PM. The Beacons have won six consecutive games against the Colonels dating back to 2014 and most recently swept them on the road in 2022, 12-5 and 11-1.
