Sara Plourde wasn’t nearly as dominant as she was last week, but her efforts coupled with timely hitting were just enough to propel the Massachusetts softball team past Boston University on Wednesday afternoon for a narrow 3-2 victory.

After a memorable week for Plourde in which she was named the National Fastpitch Coaching Association National Player of the Week for throwing two no-hitters in consecutive starts and pitching 17.2-straight hitless innings, she followed that performance up by going the distance against the Terriers, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out eight to earn her 12th victory of the year.

“I thought she was better,” said UMass coach Elaine Sortino following the game. “I think she’s getting a little bit more confident with alternate pitches, which is really going to help us down the stretch.”

Plourde’s consecutive hitless innings streak snapped at 18.2 in the second inning when BU shortstop Brittany Clendenny rifled a double that put two runners in scoring position with no outs. However, Plourde pitched out of the jam, striking out the next three Terriers to end the threat and keep the game scoreless through two innings.

After Cyndil Matthew and Kyllie Magill led off the third inning with consecutive ground outs, Lindsey Webster followed with her fifth double of the season. After Meghan Carta forced a walk, Audrey Boutin drove an outside pitch delivered by BU starting pitcher Holli Floetker to left field that scored Webster to put the Minutewomen up, 1-0. Plourde was unable to support her own cause following that, striking out and leaving two runners stranded to end the threat.

Terriers’ right fielder Jayme Mask led off the bottom of the third with a single and advanced to second on a steal, before Plourde retired the next three batters once again to keep another runner stranded in scoring position and the Minutewomen lead intact heading into the fourth.

A Tiffany Meeks single up the middle led off the inning before Teea Rogers laid down a successful bunt to move pinch runner Stephanie Mix into scoring position. After Stephanie Mayne was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second and Matthew was called out after making contact with a ball in play, Magill followed with a two-out RBI single up the middle that drove in Mix to give UMass a 2-0 advantage.

BU sophomore Erin Schuppert was then called to relieve Floetker on the mound and after hitting Webster to load the bases, she successfully dug the Terriers out of their hole by striking out Boutin to end the inning.

After Plourde and Schuppert exchanged 1-2-3 inning-efforts in the bottom of the fourth and both frames in the fifth, the Minutewomen continued the theme of timely hitting in the top of the sixth. Magill ripped a two-out triple down the left field line past the outstretched glove of Terriers left fielder Erica Casacci that drove in Matthew from first base to extend the UMass lead to 3-0.

“I thought that we overall had a pretty good day at the plate,” said Sortino. “I thought that we had good at-bats [and] I thought that we swung at good pitches.”
Plourde opened the bottom of the sixth by issuing a walk and allowing back-to-back singles to load the bases. After a sacrifice fly drove in the first Terriers run, Plourde seemed to be back in control after forcing a fly out to Clendenny. That assumption would be premature, however, as a two-out double by Chelsea Kehr sailed over Webster in right field and scored another BU run to narrow the lead to 3-2. Plourde kept her cool and was able to strike out pinch-hitter Whitney Tuthill to get out of the jam.

The Minutewomen were unable to put any more insurance runs on the board in the seventh and after allowing a lead-off single to Mask, who ultimately reaching third through a stolen base and fielder’s choice, Plourde was able to pitch out of one last, crucial jam. With the tying run on third, she forced a pop up and lineout to secure UMass’ fifth consecutive victory.

Up next, the Minutewomen will look to continue their winning streak when they return home for a Sunday double header with St. Bonaventure beginning at noon from the UMass Softball Complex.

Stephen Hewitt can be reached at [email protected].