The Massachusetts softball team dropped its weekend series to Dayton, losing 6-3 on Sunday afternoon. The Minutewomen (19-27, 12-9 Atlantic 10) took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning. That is until the Flyers (18-21,11-9 A-10) responded by shutting down the Minutewomen’s offense, only allowing three hits the rest of the game, as they produced six runs of their own in the last four innings.
Dayton hammered the UMass pitching in the third and fourth innings, bringing together five hits and four runs. From there, the Minutewomen faced bases loaded which began with the leadoff batter getting hit by the pitch, followed by a single, then a walk. The Flyers were able to score off a throwing error before the Minutewomen escaped from more damage in the inning.
The loss was given to sophomore Jenna Bradley, who didn’t have a particularly bad performance. Bradley pitched for 3.1 innings and gave up five hits and three runs, only one of which was earned. The rest came from errors and passed balls. Sloppy field play seemed to be a theme in Sunday’s game.
“It was a very big factor,” head coach Danielle Henderson said. “Today we allowed them to score with our defense.”
Of Dayton’s six runs, only two of them were earned by the pitchers.
In Saturday’s doubleheader, the Minutewomen’s offense went missing in action in the first game. Dayton senior Kelsey Gumm threw a complete game no-hitter. UMass was able to muster up four walks in the game but left two stranded on base with the other two falling to double plays. Gumm’s performance allowed the Flyers’ two-run first inning to be enough for the victory with the game ending 2-0. The loss fell on junior Jessie DiPasquale who gave up two runs off five hits and two walks.
Following the loss, the Minutewomen were back at the plate less than an hour later. After going down one run in the first inning and being hitless through two, it seemed to be a similar story as the game prior. That was until the fifth inning when UMass bounced back by virtue of a double to left center by sophomore Sarah Keagy. UMass now had runners on third and second. Then came junior Abby Lamson to the plate as a pinch hitter for sophomore Payge Suggs. Lamson did damage. With a single to right field, two runs scored giving UMass its first lead of the day.
“[Lamson] has a very good plate presence, a good eye and she’s very confident,” Henderson said about her junior batter.
Despite this much needed at bat, the Minutewomen’s excitement quickly vanished in the bottom of the fifth as the Flyers had runners on third and second with one out. As Dayton’s Emma Schutter hit a ball to left field, it seemed as though the Flyers would tie the game off a sacrifice fly ball. However, junior Jules Shields caught the ball and threw a rocket to home, gunning out the runner from third to complete the double play. UMass escaped the inning with the lead.
The Minutewomen kept their lead, defeating Dayton 2-1 thanks to an impressive performance by freshman pitcher Julianne Bolton. Bolton pitched seven innings, only allowing one run for nine hits.
Perhaps the most surprising part of this series loss was the lack of hitting from UMass’ typical big bats. Suggs, who came into the series with a .344 batting average, finished the series 0-8 with five strikeouts. Additionally, the top three spots in the batting order went a combined 5-26 in the three games. Overall, the Minutewomen went 11-74 at the plate this weekend.
UMass will look to get back on track as they face Stony Brook for a midweek doubleheader Wednesday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
Jordan Meneo can be reached at [email protected].
