Yesterday’s match-up between the Massachusetts softball team and the Boston College Eagles was more of a demonstration by two members of the UMass squad. Two players who have very different resumes and duties, but have an equal amount of potential, took control of the contest. Rookie Brandice Balshmiter held the Eagle offense at bay all afternoon, and senior offensive threat K.J. Kelley produced enough at the plate to defeat B.C. 6-0.
With that win, the Minutewomen (24-12, 11-1 Atlantic 10) have now been victorious in 15 out of the last 16 contests, and will take on Harvard tomorrow afternoon at the UMass Softball Complex for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
Against the Eagles, Kelley didn’t hold back. The senior knocked her 40th home run out of the park, while driving in three RBIs. The first two RBIs came right at the start of the contest. After Amanda Morin got things started with the first at-bat, singling to left center field, Candice Molinari was walked after the full-count went her way. Kelley then picked up her first RBIs of the afternoon, with a single down the left field line, which brought in Morin and Molinari.
Sophomore Lauren Proctor then increased the UMass lead to 3-0 with a single to cap off the opening inning.
Kelley’s homer to left field in the third inning made it 4-0 UMass. So far this season, the UMass home run queen has registered five homers and 26 RBIs.
Proctor and Molinari kept the game out of reach for B.C. with RBIs in the fifth and sixth innings, as the Minutewomen went on to win 6-0. The offensive production forced the shell-shocked Eagles to go through three different pitchers throughout the game.
The UMass pitcher, on the other hand, had no problem shutting down B.C. Balshmiter made things difficult for the Eagles, allowing no runs, striking out seven batters and allowing just five hits.
The win was her 19th so far this season and she currently holds an ERA of 0.73. With a chunk of the season still left, Balshmiter still has some time to build on her impressive rookie season, as her season strikeout count of 193 is already fifth all-time, just behind Kelly Daunt’s 194.
Balshmiter, along with fellow freshman Whitney Mollica, were recently honored once again by the A-10, as the two continue to rack up weekly conference awards. It was announced Monday that Balshmiter is the A-10 Pitcher of the Week, while Mollica is the Rookie of the Week.
It is the seventh time Balshmiter has been awarded by the A-10 and the eighth time for Mollica, who recently broke the school’s single-season RBI record. Her 2006 home run total of nine is a team high, with Amanda Acampora behind her with six.
As a team, the Minutewomen now have an even stronger grip on the A-10, losing only once in conference to Charlotte, 2-1, on April 9. They also lead the A-10 in several categories, including team batting and team pitching.
