May 18, 2008

AMHERST, Mass. - After a thrilling 2-1 win to force a game seven in the NCAA Softball Amherst Regional final, the 20th-ranked Massachusetts softball fell to eighth-ranked Stanford 6-0 in the second final game on Sunday. The Cardinal used a three-run top of the first inning and tough defense to move onto the NCAA Super Regional. UMass couldn't manage any offense in the game as Stanford pitcher Missy Penna tossed her second no-hitter of the season.

Stanford scored six runs on 11 hits, which both tie the most given up by the Minutewomen all year.

UMass pitcher Brandice Balschmiter was a workhorse for UMass on the weekend, throwing 480 pitches while going a total of 33 innings.

Stanford's Penna pitched all four games for the Cardinal, giving up just two runs the entire regional, both being unearned.

For the third game in two days between the two, the team batting first was able to jump ahead in the top of the first inning. Stanford's Alissa Haber reach on an error at third base by UMass, and was brought home on a double by Maddy Coon after being advanced to second on a sac bunt by Shannon Koplitz. Coon made it 2-0 for the Cardinal after scoring from second on a bloop-single to right field by Rosy Neill. Stanford made it a three-run lead two batters later with a RBI single up the middle by Erin Howe.

The Cardinal added a fourth run to their tally in the top of the second on a RBI single to right field by Koplitz scoring Haber. Neill gave Stanford another tally on a solo home run to center field in the top of the fifth of Balschmiter. The home run for Neill was her 19th of the season, and just the second given up by Balschmiter all season. Tricia Aggabao gave Stanford their final run with a sacrifice fly to centerfield in the top of the fifth to make it a 6-0 game.

Stanford's Penna preserved her no-hitter in the bottom of the sixth grabbing a line drive by Whitney Mollica out of the air that would have gone up the middle.

Penna was just too much as she struck out the side in the seventh for her 37th win of the season.

In game six of the tournament, UMass pitcher Brandice Balschmiter gave up just one run on six hits with six strikeouts as the Minutewomen became the first team to score on Stanford in the entire regional. Sophomore catcher Jessica Serio went 2-for-2 to lead the Minutewomen offensively.

UMass took advantage of two Stanford errors in the first inning, going ahead 2-0 on RBI by Mollica and Salato. Mollica's groundout scored Whitney Williams from third and Salato's trickler down the first base line turned into an error by Penna scoring senior Lauren Proctor who put herself on with a single.

Stanford threatened by loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh on back-to-back bloop singles followed by an error by UMass' Williams to make their push. The Cardinal scored on the next play as Tricia Agabad hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield deep enough to score pinch runner Michelle Schroeder from third, cutting the lead to 2-1. After a force out at third base, Balschmiter struck out Haber to end the game and force the game seven.