NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (March 15, 2025) – The UMass Boston softball team (2-0) swept their season-opening doubleheader from North Myrtle Beach, S.C, against the University of Minnesota Morris (4-9), and Martin Luther College (0-8) with both wins coming in five innings, as the Beacons begin Spring Break in dominant fashion.

Game One vs Minn. Morris (14-0)
Bri Melchionda (Marshfield, Mass.) pitched all five innings in the opening game vs Minn. Morris. She faced 18 batters, allowed a minuscule three hits, and struck out eight, while seven faced batters were put away in the field. The reigning 2024 Little East Conference Pitcher of the Year opens the Beacons' campaign with a strong showing on the mound to lead the way to a shutout performance.

Graduate infielder Haley Tilberry (Moosic, Penn.) swung in the Beacons' first RBI in the opening frame to score Sofie Richland (South Burlington, Vt.) on the tag-up from third.

The Beacons rallied for seven runs on as many hits with one Minn. Morris error in the top of third. Amauri English (North Providence, R.I.) swung in the first run of the rally on a single with runners on first and second to bring in Tilberry on the throw. Hayley Krockta (Taunton, Mass.) stepped into a two-run RBI single to left field that scored English and Melchionda, making it a 4-0 game. Krockta was scored from third off the RBI single to right from Mya Perron (Beverly, Mass.). With two outs on the board, the Beacons brought home two more in the inning on Gracie Granger's (Paxton, Mass.) single up the middle to score Ella Delisle (Amesbury, Mass.) from second, and Richland's infield single to third scored Granger for the final run of the inning. The Beacons retook the field comfortably, up 8-0.

UMass Boston scored three more in both the fourth, and final fifth inning of the game. Lauren Miner (Millbury, Mass.), Mary Matthews (Wilsonville, Ore.), and Natalia Fotopoulos (Arlington, Mass.) each scored one run in the fourth.

Richland and Matthews were the final two scorers in the top of the fifth, as the Beacons closed the final frame with three runs on four hits and one error.

UMass Boston finished the game with 14 runs on 15 hits, zero defensive errors, and a shutout against Minn. Morris with just three hits.

By the Numbers:

• Richland was 3-4 with two runs and an RBI double.
• Krockta was 2-3 with three RBIs and a run scored.
• Miner was 2-4 with two RBIs and one run scored.
• Richland (2), Miner, Fotopoulos, and Delisle each ran for a stolen base in the win.

Game Two vs Martin Luther (9-0)
Jacqueline Cherry (Franklin, Mass.) pitched all five innings of game two and shut out Martin Luther College on just three allowed hits. She struck out five of the 19 batters she faced, and was backed by nine outs in the field.

English drove in game two's first run with an RBI double to center field, allowing Miner to come across to score the only run of the first inning.

In the second inning, Matthews singled to left, scoring Perron, and was later driven home off Granger's single to right, making it a 3-0 lead for UMass Boston.

Matthews laced a two-out single to center field that drove in Delisle and Krockta to kick off a third-inning rally. Matthews and Perron each touched home to add four total runs in the inning.

In the Beacs' final trip to the plate, Miner stepped into a two-run RBI single to left field, scoring Tilberry and Matthews to conclude a dominant day-one show.

By the Numbers:

• Miner, Perron, and Matthews each led the team with two hits. Miner and Matthews combined for five RBIs. The trio scored five total runs, with Perron and Matthews each scoring two.
• English and Perron recorded doubles, and Miner recorded the first triple of the season for the Beacons, her eleventh career.
• Granger, Matthews, Tilberry, and Cosette Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) each recorded a stolen base.
• Not a single Beacon went down on a strikeout.
• UMass Boston was 14 of 25 from the dish as a unit in the win.

Who's Next:

The Beacons will continue their Spring Break road swing tomorrow (Mar. 16.) against the University of Mount Saint Vincent at 9:00 a.m, followed by Oswego State at 11:00 a.m.