The Massachusetts softball team saw what the top collegiate teams in the nation have to offer at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. this weekend.
Returning as the reigning champion, the Minutewomen (4-6) were shutout by DePaul, 7-0, and Oklahoma, 9-0, on Friday, but managed to pull three wins out of their last four games including a nine-inning thriller over Ohio State, 4-3, in the consolation finals Sunday. Their third loss was to Florida Atlantic, 4-1, managing only two hits in the Saturday contest.
“I feel very comfortable about finishing .500 this weekend,” UMass coach Elaine Sortino said. “We found out a lot about ourselves as a team. We also found ways to win. I feel this was a good weekend for UMass softball.”
UMass was down by one run to the Buckeyes until senior K.C. Budrewicz singled home freshman Amanda Acampora in the sixth inning to tie the game at one. The score remained the same until the Minutewomen managed to put up two runs in the top of the eighth. Pinch hitter Christina Douglas answered with a two-run blast to send the game into a tiebreaker.
Nicole Wilson started on second base in the ninth, and was moved to third on senior Jamie Cahalan’s bunt. Wilson scored on an error on the following at-bat. After sophomore Jenna Busa went eight innings, junior Kelli Arnold put them down in order to finish the game, picking up the save.
Jamee Juarez struck out 16 batters in the game, one shy of the Leadoff Classic record set by former UMass hurler Danielle Henderson in a win over Nicholls State.
This was the second time this season the Maroon and White downed the Buckeyes.
Arnold had another stellar performance at the Georgia tournament after being named National Player of the Week and the Most Outstanding player at the Leadoff Classic a year ago.
Starting off with a couple shaky performances against DePaul and Oklahoma, Arnold remained poised and pitched a one-hit shutout against Central Michigan with her only run support being K.J. Kelley’s solo homerun.
“She did an outstanding job on the mound this weekend for us,” Sortino said. “She did a good job changing up the speed and moving the ball. She was very reliable and really showed a good change-up this weekend.”
After scoring only two runs in its first four games this weekend, UMass found their swing against Army Sunday. Lead by Kelley’s grand slam and Budrewicz first career homerun, the Minutewomen mercy ruled Army, 8-0. Molinari was perfect from the plate, going 3-for-3 and scoring two runs.
Arnold pitched 4.1 innings, giving up not a single walk or hit before junior Barbara LaFogg came in to finish the blowout.
“We went from flat line to having a pulse,” Sortino said. “We are finding ways to get hits and this is only going to get better as the season progresses.”
The Maroon and White had the opportunity after leaving eight runners on base, but could not score against DePaul, losing 7-0.
Busa found a rhythm as she sat down the first six batters and walked one batter in the third. In the fourth, Busa gave up a led-off single to senior Sarah Martz, but was saved by two straight fielder’s choices. With two outs, Christina Douglas stole second and scored on Saskia Roberson’s single, giving the Blue Demons a 1-0 lead. After one run in the fifth, DePaul exploded for five more runs in the sixth to end UMass’ comeback.
The worst loss on the weekend for UMass came at the hands of No. 5 Oklahoma, one of the best programs in the nation. The Minutewomen could only muster up one hit.
Oklahoma’s Jaime Fox and Heather Scaglione were both perfect from the plate in the game. Fox was 4-for-4 with a homerun, two runs and three runs batted in. Scaglione was 3-for-3 with two runs, two runs batted in, a homerun and a walk.
