BOSTON, Mass. – Behind a 14-strikeout performance from junior pitcher Bri Melchionda in game one and five unanswered runs spearheaded by a pair of doubles leading to two RBIs from senior outfielder Sydney Sanden, helped UMass Boston earn a home doubleheader sweep of Emerson College on Monday afternoon, 2-1 and 5-4, to improve to 13-3 on the season.
 
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 2, Emerson College 1
UMass Boston 5, Emerson College 4
 
UMass Boston (13-3)
Emerson College (10-8)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1: UMass Boston 2, Emerson College 1
In a game dominated by pitching, Emerson College would get on the board first against Melchionda with a two-out double from junior second baseman Claire Overton after a walk was issued to junior Makenzie Killough, making it 1-0 in favor of the Lions. Through the first three innings, UMass Boston would have a couple of scoring chances, leaving four total runners on base.

Junior third baseman Lauryn Bethea would deliver the game-tying home run, her first long ball of the season, with two outs in the fourth inning off of sophomore pitcher Jessica Gomez. The Lions looked to respond in the fifth when they put runners on second and third with one out before Melchionda came back to strike out two of the next three batters, working around a walk that loaded the bases to keep the game even at one.

Senior infielder Haley Tilberry delivered the go-ahead run on what looked to be just a single in the bottom half of the frame. The chopper went into right field and over the glove of sophomore utility player Carly Rosenberger before rolling all the way to the wall. Using her speed, Tilberry would round the bases and scoring on the three-base error, giving UMass Boston the 2-1 advantage.

Mowing down the Lions' order in the final two innings, Melchionda struck out the side in the seventh inning, putting an exclamation on her 14-strikeout performance, the second she has recorded this season, as UMass Boston improved to 12-3 with a tight 2-1 victory.
 
 
Game 2: UMass Boston 5, Emerson College 4
The Lions would go to work right away against junior pitcher Emily Doble, loading up the bases with a leadoff double from sophomore shortstop Sam Zannotti, a walk issued to freshman pitcher Kit Zenga, and single by Killough. After forcing a fielders choice at home, a sacrifice fly by Gomez and two-run single by sophomore infielder Ally Lacey made it a 3-0 lead for Emerson College.

The Emerson lead stretched to four runs before UMass Boston would make their comeback as a passed ball by sophomore catcher Kaitlyn Sawyer followed by a throwing error by freshman infielder Lauren Miner made it a 4-0 ballgame. A leadoff double by senior outfielder Sydney Sanden coupled by a one-out double from sophomore utility player Amauri English would be the first of four unanswered runs for the Beacons who trimmed their deficit to three, 4-1.

A leadoff single for senior first baseman Jordan Toomey got the fifth-inning rally started for the Beacons who with one out got an RBI single from freshman outfielder Sofie Richland to make it a two-run game, 4-2, before Tilberry reached base on a error by Overton during her sacrifice bunt attempt, putting two runners on for Sanden. With her second double of the game, the senior tied the game up at four against newly inserted pitcher Kit Zenga before the Lions escaped further trouble.

But UMass Boston would put the pressure on again in the sixth inning and take their first lead of the contest when back-to-back singles from Bethea and Sawyer led to a Toomey sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third with one out. Following a walk to freshman designated player Adrianna Fusco, Richland hit a line drive into center field which sophomore outfielder Mackenzie Rice dove for and knocked down. Rice threw to third for the force out, but the go-ahead run would score in Bethea to put the Beacons ahead 5-4.

With two outs in the seventh, the Lions would threaten, getting back-to-back singles and working a walk against Doble to load the bases. Facing the cleanup hitter in Overton, Doble forced a fly out to English in right field, securing the 5-4 win and doubleheader sweep for the Beacons.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Bri Melchionda improved to 8-0 this season with 75 strikeouts and only nine earned runs in nine appearances this season
• Sydney Sanden finished the doubleheader with a 3-for-6 day, including three doubles, two RBIs, and one run scored
• In her fourth win of the season, Emily Doble went seven innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits while striking out and walking three batters
• At 13-3, UMass Boston is now tied with the 2017 team for the best start in program history heading into Thursday afternoon's doubleheader at Keene State

 
 
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston kicks off Little East Conference play with a rescheduled doubleheader this Thursday afternoon at Keene State College. Game one is scheduled to get underway at 2:00 PM with game two following shortly after that. The Beacons swept the Owls last season at home, 11-3 and 4-0, for only their second doubleheader sweep of Keene State in program history.