Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BOSTON, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth softball team split a Little East Conference doubleheader with UMass Boston, as the team held off a late-rally from the Beacons in game one, before having the offense suppressed to just three hits in the backend to close out the day.
The Basics
Score: UMass Dartmouth 5, UMass Boston 3 (Game One) | UMass Dartmouth 3, UMass Boston 2 (Game Two)
Records: Corsairs (22-10, 6-4 LEC) | Beacons (11-19, 3-5 LEC)
How it Happened
UMass Dartmouth 5, UMass Boston 3
Kylie Fletcher (Dighton, Mass.) notched the lone multi-hit game for the Corsairs offense, while five others picked up knocks as the Corsairs were outhit 10-7. In the circle, senior Hannah Smith (Attleboro, Mass.) tossed 5 1/3 innings of scoreless softball despite surrendering six hits, earning her 11th victory of the season.
The Corsairs offense, like it has throughout the season, struck early as a single to centerfield in the first inning from freshman Jill Richards (Kingston, Mass.) plated Leah Major (Fairhaven, Mass.) for the game's first run. In the top of the third, Fletcher upped the lead to 3-0 when she ripped a two-RBI double for her 12th extra-base hit of the year.
In the top of the fifth, the Blue and Gold made it 4-0 when Brittany Polk (Bridgewater, Mass.) came on to pinch hit. With two outs, the sophomore delivered a single to bring in Fletcher to take advantage of an error earlier in the frame by the Beacons. UMass Boston came back with a run of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning, before inching closer with two more in the sixth when Kelly Danahy (Kingston, Mass.) brought in a pair of teammates with her triple.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Corsairs had an error that put the lead-hitter on, but one batter later the defense bailed themselves out as it turned a crucial double play late in the game. Annika Evensen (Lake Forrest, Calif.) forced the final batter to ground out to secure the 5-3 victory.
UMass Boston 3, UMass Dartmouth 2
The offense of the Corsairs struggled in game two as all of its three hits came in one inning. Jess Greenspan (Rocky Hill, Conn.) came on in relief and stifled the bats of the Corsairs, completing a hitless 3 2/3 innings to earn her fifth win.
UMass Boston took the early lead in game two as an RBI double in the top of the second from Tori Dicenso (Lynn, Mass.) brought in Roxanne Veto (Arlington, Mass.). Dicenso came around to score later in the frame when a sacrifice fly from Taylor Pawlina (Woonsocket, R.I.) for the 2-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth, the Corsairs got to the Beacons starter as consecutive singles from Cierra Sheerin (Bridgewater, Mass.), Richards, and Fletcher loaded the bases with no outs. After a fielder choice's cut down the runner at the plate, the Blue and Gold got its first run of the game when Lexi Periera (Middleboro, Mass.) drew a walk with the bases loaded. One batter later, a defensive error allowed the team to knot it up at two apiece.
After back-to-back hitless innings from Smith, the Corsairs starter looked to be in control. But in the bottom of the sixth, the Beacons opened with back-to-back hits from Dicenso and Veto, before a single from Pawlina put the host ahead for good.
Inside the Numbers
- With the split against the Beacons, the Corsairs are locked with Southern Maine and Eastern Connecticut in the standings with all three teams holding a 6-4 conference record.
- The three-hit total in game two was the lowest for UMass Dartmouth all season.
- Fletcher picked up the sixth multi-RBI game of her collegiate career with the two RBI performance in game one. She currently sits third in the LEC in ribbies.
- Smith earned her 11th victory in game one, which retains her spot as the LEC's leader in the category. She also leads in earned run average at 1.74.
- With hits in both games, Richards is now the team-leader with her five-game hitting streak.
Up Next
UMass Dartmouth returns home on Tuesday when it hosts Eastern Connecticut for a pivotal conference matchup at 3:30 p.m. It will also be senior day as the Corsairs honor Emily Colton (Kingston, Mass.) and Hannah Smith (Attleboro, Mass.)
