After its 49-game conference win streak was ended by Charlotte, the Massachusetts softball team made sure that the ensuing losing streak would end at one.
Putting away Atlantic 10 foe Rhode Island in convincing fashion, the Minutewomen swept Tuesday’s double header against the Rams, shutting them out twice, 13-0 and 8-0. Each game was shortened to five innings due to the run rule.
Bouncing right back to shut down URI was vital for UMass coach Elaine Sortino after the team’s loss to the 49ers.
‘It was extremely important because we took two very big steps in the right direction,’ Sortino said. ‘It was a very hard day for us Sunday. We were totally out of character, and it was great to see our team come together and just execute across the board, both defensively and offensively.’
Leading the way in the Minutewomen’s (32-7, 14-1 A-10) 21-run barrage was junior outfielder Carly Normandin. The reigning A-10 Player of the Week, Normandin went 4-for-4 in the first game of the double header with a single, triple and two home runs, including a grand slam, for seven runs batted-in.
At the end of the first game, Normandin had stretched her hitting streak to 23 games, but failed to get a hit in the second outing, going 0-for-1 with two walks. The school record is 27.
‘She’s doing what she’s been doing,’ Sortino said. ‘The best part about her is that she’s a great leadoff hitter. She gives you great speed to run with, and she’s a tough out. She’s just very consistent and a great weapon in our lineup.’
Senior Brandice Balschmiter kept the Rams’ (13-36, 2-14 A-10) bats silent all day going four innings in both games. She gave up three hits and no runs in eight total innings on the day. Junior Bailey Sanders pitched scoreless innings to close out both games, giving up one hit and a walk.
For Sortino, though, Balschmiter’s performance was enough to get past the Rams but needs to improve as the Minutewomen progress throughout the season.
‘I thought she did okay,’ Sortino said. ‘It wasn’t one of her better performances. I don’t think she was as sharp as I’d like to see her go into the postseason. But she did well enough to get the job done.’
Normandin started off the double header with a single and was followed by a Whitney Williams walk. After Molica advanced the runner on a sacrifice bunt and Samantha Salato walked, junior Sarah Reeves came to the plate and drove a double to left field, brining in the first two runs of the game.
After that, the floodgates opened for the UMass offense.
Normandin came back in the second, driving in Jordan Storro with a triple. Williams then cleaned up with one of seven home runs hit by UMass.
A grand slam by Normandin in the third essentially put the game out of reach for URI. But two more homeruns, one by Audrey Boutin in the fourth and another by Normandin in the fifth, closed the books for the win in Game 1.
After Normandin’s outstanding performance in the first game, the Rams refused to give her anything to hit. But after Williams reached on an error, Whitney Mollica made them pay with a three-run shot.
The home run ended the day for URI starter Stacey Stanovich, who lasted just three batters, although only one run was earned. That swing was all the Minutewomen would need as the Rams had only four base runners for the whole game; two came from leadoff hitter Amanda Sbei.
UMass came right back in the second inning, busting the game wide open with a five-run inning. Davina Hernandez started off the inning with a solo home run and was followed by a Normandin walk and a pair of base hits. Reeves purged the bases with the Minutewomen’s seventh home run of the day.
After the second inning, though, the UMass offense cooled off, getting only one more hit off of the Rams, a triple by Mollica in the fourth inning.
URI led off both the first and second innings with hits off of Balschmiter, but failed to take advantage of them.
Nick O’Malley can be reached at [email protected].
‘
