March 27, 2009

Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. - The St. Bonaventure softball team was unable to generate any scoring opportunities off Massachusetts ace Brandice Balschmiter, as it fell to #22/18 ranked UMass 4-0 on Friday afternoon at UMass Softball Complex.

With the defeat, the Brown and White fall to 2-15 overall and 0-3 in A-10 play. Massachusetts, on the other hand, keeps on rolling along as it has won three straight to improve its record up to 14-6 and 3-0 in league play.

The game featured a matchup of aces in Balschmiter and the Bonnies number one starter, junior Sherri Thompson.

It was a scoreless pitching duel between the two early, with both pitchers making quick work of opposing hitters through the first three innings of play.

UMass would break through against Thompson ion the bottom of the fourth, when junior Michelle Libby drilled a double into the right-center gap, to bring home two runners, making the score 2-0.

Massachusetts would add on two more insurance runs, one in the fifth and one in the sixth. In the fifth, junior Carly Normandin ripped an RBI single up the middle, bringing home freshman Kyllie Magill who hit a leadoff double to start the frame, to make the score 3-0. UMass would push another run across in the sixth due to some sloppy Brown and White defense and another two-bagger by Libby to cap the scoring for the day at 4-0.

Balschmiter scattered four hits, all singles, and one walk while striking out nine to pick up her 11th win of the season.

Thompson went the distance for the Bonnies, her seventh complete game of the season, allowing just one earned run on four hits in the loss.

Senior Kathryn Pazda had two of the Brown and White's four singles on the day. Sophomore Kara Morenus and senior Amanda Kotz collected the other two singles in the game.

St. Bonaventure will be back in action on Saturday, March 28, when they stay in Amherst, Mass. to finish the two-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.