Minutewomen pass Atlantic 10 test
Joe Meloni, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: Sports
In its toughest test of the 2007 Atlantic 10 season, the Massachusetts softball team (22-12-1, 8-0 Atlantic 10) swept the Charlotte 49ers (23-20, 3-6 A-10) in North Carolina this weekend - winning 4-1 on Friday and 5-2 on Saturday.
Left fielder Lauren Proctor and second baseman Stacey Cullington continued their stellar junior campaigns, pacing the UMass offense in the victories. The Minutewomen's winning streak now stands at 11 games.
In the third inning of Friday's game, Cullington came to the plate with the Minutewomen up 1-0 and runners on first and second base. After working the count, she took the payoff pitch over the left field wall, extending the UMass lead to four.
While the Charlotte pitchers managed to keep Proctor in the ballpark, her two doubles in Game 2 did enough damage. After a walk to Cullington in the UMass half of the fourth, Proctor slapped a Christy Murray offering to left-center field. Senior Jackie Teman, who pinch ran Cullington, scored all the way from first.
Senior captain Amanda Acampora also homered in Game 2 for the Minutewomen. Acampora battled to a full count before turning on a fastball and lining it over the left field wall. In her last three games, she is 3-for-7 with two homers and three RBIs.
Sophomore ace Brandice Balschmiter pitched well for the Minutewomen and got the victory in both games.
In the weekend's first contest, she walked five hitters, but otherwise kept the 49er offense in check, yielding two hits. She has now won her last 10 starts and is 17-8 on the season with a 1.48 earned run average. She allowed two earned runs over the weekend in her 11 innings pitched. The 49ers also scored an unearned run against the Minutewomen.
The Minutewomen take on the Connecticut Huskies (15-17, 4-7 Big East) tomorrow in Storrs, Conn. The all-time series stands at 42-41-2 in UMass' favor. Under current coach Elaine Sortino, the Minutewomen are 39-40-1 with their New England rivals.
Left fielder Lauren Proctor and second baseman Stacey Cullington continued their stellar junior campaigns, pacing the UMass offense in the victories. The Minutewomen's winning streak now stands at 11 games.
In the third inning of Friday's game, Cullington came to the plate with the Minutewomen up 1-0 and runners on first and second base. After working the count, she took the payoff pitch over the left field wall, extending the UMass lead to four.
While the Charlotte pitchers managed to keep Proctor in the ballpark, her two doubles in Game 2 did enough damage. After a walk to Cullington in the UMass half of the fourth, Proctor slapped a Christy Murray offering to left-center field. Senior Jackie Teman, who pinch ran Cullington, scored all the way from first.
Senior captain Amanda Acampora also homered in Game 2 for the Minutewomen. Acampora battled to a full count before turning on a fastball and lining it over the left field wall. In her last three games, she is 3-for-7 with two homers and three RBIs.
Sophomore ace Brandice Balschmiter pitched well for the Minutewomen and got the victory in both games.
In the weekend's first contest, she walked five hitters, but otherwise kept the 49er offense in check, yielding two hits. She has now won her last 10 starts and is 17-8 on the season with a 1.48 earned run average. She allowed two earned runs over the weekend in her 11 innings pitched. The 49ers also scored an unearned run against the Minutewomen.
The Minutewomen take on the Connecticut Huskies (15-17, 4-7 Big East) tomorrow in Storrs, Conn. The all-time series stands at 42-41-2 in UMass' favor. Under current coach Elaine Sortino, the Minutewomen are 39-40-1 with their New England rivals.
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