Brian Tedder / Collegian

The Massachusetts softball team will be heading out of Atlantic 10 waters when it hosts Big East foe Providence in first game of six straight non-conference matches

UMass (23-6, 8-0 A-10) looks to defend its unbeaten mark at home as it faces the Friars and then Boston University, George Washington, Boston College and Connecticut. The Minutewomen have won their last twelve overall, including seven shutouts and five wins by run rule.

Providence (12-23, 4-5 Big East), meanwhile, is coming off a 2-7 run in which it gave up double-digit runs two times and was shutout twice. Before the slump, though, the Friars won eight out of nine games, that span included a six-game winning streak.

The Friars are led by freshman standout Mary Rose Sheehy. Sheehy, who is currently seventh is the Big East with a .368 average, is the one major threat on an otherwise lackluster lineup. Sheehy also leads the team with 23 RBIs, 39 hits and a 1.111 on-base plus slugging percentage

As a team, the Friars are batting .240 on the season while their opponents are hitting at a .282 mark. Outside of Sheehy, only three other regular starters are hitting above .250 and two are hitting under .200.

What PC lacks in pure hitting punch, they make up in patience at the plate. Christy Becker and Jenna Garcia are tied for second on the team with a .275 average. Both of them, however, boast impressive on-base percentages. Becker is reaching base at a .385 mark while Garcia is maintaining a .377 OBP.

The weak Providence offense provides UMass coach Elaine Sortino with an opportunity to rest the team’s usual starter Brandice Balschmiter and give freshman Sara Plourde a look on the mound.

In six starts this season, including two shutouts and a no-hitter, Plourde has a 1.12 earned-run average with 65 strikeouts while opposing batters are hitting .132 against her.

Balschmiter, meanwhile, has been securing her status as one of the greatest pitchers in UMass history by recording her 108th career win, tying the school record set by UMass Hall of Famer Danielle Henderson.

In addition to their less than stellar lineup, the Friars boast a largely inconsistent pitching staff, with six players getting appearances on the mound this season. Of those six, only one has posted an ERA less than 3.00.

Junior Danielle Bertolette has gotten the most starts for PC this season, posting a 4-13 record with a 3.22 and has issued 74 walks compared to 58 strikeouts. Jennifer Maccio, who is second on the team with 10 starts this season, and Alicia Grosso (five starts) haven’t performed much better this season. Maccio has a 4.38 Era and has given up nine home runs this season. Grosso, meanwhile, has a 3.03 ERA, but opponents are only hitting .253 against her.

Regardless of who takes the mound for the Friars, the Minutewomen, who boast the top offense in the A-10, are likely to take advantage of it.

Leadoff hitter Carly Normandin, the team’s offensive catalyst, leads the conference with a .424 batting average. Three other players, Kyllie Magill (.355), Michelle Libby (.338) and Whitney Mollica (.337) are hitting over .300.

Plourde, who threw a one-hit shutout against Saint Josephs, was named A-10 Rookie of the Week while fellow freshman Magill earned UMass/Dinn Bros. Athlete of the Week honors. Over the three games this weekend, Magill went 6-for-13 (.462) while driving three runs and hitting a home run. Magill has been red-hot since UMass started conference play. The second baseman is batting .478 in A-10 play and has two home runs and 10 RBIs.

Nick O’Malley can be reached at [email protected].