BOSTON, Mass. – The UMass Boston Softball tallied two more in the win column with a doubleheader sweep over Little East Conference (LEC) opponents Keene State College Tuesday afternoon at the UMass Boston Softball Field. With the sweep the Beacons improve to 22-8 (8-4 LEC), while the Owls fall to 5-25 (1-9 LEC).
The UMass Boston Softball team will host non-conference opponents, Nichols College, Thursday April 25, with first pitch set for 3:00 p.m. The Beacons look to earn their first win against the Bison in program history.
UMass Boston 5, Keene State 0
The score was 0-0 through the opening two and a half innings of work for both teams. The Beacons would get things going in the bottom of the third with two singles from Freshman Ella Delisle and Junior Amauri English. Delisle would cross the plate as freshman Hayley Krockta would reach on an error.
UMass Boston generate four more runs in the next two innings. Sophomore Lauren Miner would cross the plate on a passed ball to give the Beacons a 2-0. Miner stepped into the box the following inning and ripped a double off the wall in center field to bring home senior Bri Melchionda, who doubled to get on earlier in the inning.
Freshman Gracie Granger would tack on another run off a passed ball on a freshman Mya Perron walk. Sophomore Kyleigh Gray would pinch hit in the bottom half of the fifth inning and hit a sacrifice ground ball to bring home Miner to end the game's scoring and give UMass Boston a 5-0 lead.
Melchionda not only had a 2-for-3 day at the plate, but also had a career day in the circle. Melchionda would pitch yet another complete game shutout, her fourth of the season. Not only was this her fourth complete game shutout of the season, but her seven strikeouts would bring her to a career milestone of 400. Her 400 career strikeouts secure her spot at the top of the list in program history.
UMass Boston 5, Keene State 3
The Beacons would get on the board early as Melchionda would get things going with an RBI double to deep left center field to bring home senior Haley Tilberry. Sophomore Sophie Richland would give the Beacons a 2-0 lead as she would cross the plate on a passed ball. Krockta would add to the tally with an RBI double of her own to bring home Tilberry.
UMass Boston would hold the Owls scoreless through four innings. English would give the Beacons a 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth with RBI double to left field. Keene State would answer two of the four Beacons' runs of an error in the top of the fifth. Melchionda would cross the plate on a sacrifice ground out by Krockta and conclude the scoring for UMass Boston and make the score 5-2. Keene State would get another back in the top half of the seventh, but it would not be enough to force the Beacons' bats to get active a final time.
Graduate pitcher Jacqueline Cherry was a dual threat in game two. Up at the plate, Cherry went 2-for-3 with two singles and a run. On the other side of the ball, Cherry would go another complete game, her sixth of the year, striking out six and only allowing one earned run.
