Massachusetts Athletics announced via Twitter on Wednesday that the UMass softball team’s matchup with Boston University Thursday had been moved to Amherst and that its first Atlantic 10 matchup vs. George Washington was moved to Washington D.C. due to impending weather.
Despite not playing at Sortino Field, the Minutewomen (12-15, 2-1 A-10) were designated as the home team as they took two out of three from the Colonials (14-16, 1-5 A-10) over the weekend.
“We started the weekend out really slow and as a staff we reminded them of what our end goal was and what we set out to accomplish, that we needed a little more competitiveness and fight if we wanted to come out on top,” UMass coach Kristi Stefanoni said.
UMass wins in walk off 4-3 Sunday
Coming into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Minutewomen trailed the Colonials 3-1. After freshman Kate Dennis and sophomore center fielder Erin Stacevicz both reached base on singles with two outs, freshman pitcher Candace Davis stepped in and singled to score both runners on base, tying the game at three.
Sophomore shortstop Kaitlyn Stavinoha followed with a single to right field, scoring Davis and giving UMass a walk-off win 4-3 over the Colonials, her third run batted of the weekend.
“Kate and Erin had huge at bats for us in that last inning which set up Candace and Kaitlyn to secure the win,” Stefanoni said.
GW got started in the first inning Sunday when freshman Priscilla Martinez singled, scoring fellow freshman Jessica Linquist, putting them up 1-0.
The Colonials went up 2-0 in the fourth inning when freshman pitcher Faith Weber drove in freshman Elena Shelepak who advanced to third on a double by junior utility player Rochelle Draper.
After Martinez drove in Linquist again in the fifth inning to go up 3-0, UMass got on the board by virtue of a base hit by senior Ashton Wince, making the score 3-1.
Junior Meg Colleran got the start in the circle for the Minutewomen. She went all seven innings and got the win allowing three runs—two earned—on seven hits, with four strikeouts and four walks. She also threw 122 pitches. improving to 6-8 on the season.
“Meg really hung on strong for the team the entire game,” Stefanoni said. “It was a total team effort.”
Minutewomen split Saturday’s games with Colonials
In the bottom of the fifth inning of the second game Saturday, leading 2-0, UMass had runners on second and third with Stavinoha at the plate.
Stavinoha hit a line drive to left field that sent junior Alana Anderson back far enough to allow Stacevicz (who was on third) to score and Denis (on second) to get to third, making it 3-0. Sophomore Kaycee Carbone stepped up to the plate next and singled to right center, scoring Stacevicz and making it 4-0.
Stacevicz opened the home-half of the first with a single to left center, then advanced two bases later on a wild pitch. After Stavinoha popped out to third base, Carbone singled to right, scoring Stacevicz for the first run of the game.
The Minutewomen scored again in the second as Stacevicz drove in Dennis to make it 2-0.
In the top of the third inning in the first game Saturday with UMass trailing 1-0, Shelepak hit a bases-clearing double to right center, putting the Colonials up 4-0.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Stavinoha drove Dennis in to make 4-1.
GW opened the scoring in the first inning when freshman Jenna Cone hit a solo home run, making it 1-0.
The Minutewomen play their second series at Sortino Field on Wednesday when they take on Fairleigh Dickinson in a doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. And 4 p.m. barring any unforeseen weather in the forecast.
Zander Manning can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @ZMSportsReport.
