UMass opens play in the 2012 NCAA Softball Regional today at University Field in Columbia, Mo. against DePaul. The Minutewomen bring a 22-game winning streak into the tourney and are playing away from Amherst for the first time since 2005. Don't forget to tune in to UMassAthletics.com for a live video and audio broadcast of the games this weekend for free. Here are a few previews from newspapers in Massachusetts on the team's preparations.
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The Daily Collegian has a preview on today's game at Boston College. UMass will look for a season sweep of the Eagles when they meet up at Shea Field in Chestnut Hill. First pitch is at 4 pm and the game can be heard online at UMassAthletics.com.
After showing signs of inconsistency at the beginning of the season, the Massachusetts softball team appears to be getting hot at the right time.
Plourde has been on top of
her game as of late, posting six shutouts in that stretch to go along with
three no-hitters and a perfect game. Arguably her most significant improvement
is the fact that she has only issued 39 walks, helping minimize her ERA to
2.14.
Read the entire article by clicking here.
Matt Vautour
of the Daily Hampshire Gazette has a piece on freshman softball player Quianna
Diaz-Patterson and her rapid adjustment to the college game.
Standing on
the field at the UMass Softball Complex after the University of Massachusetts
softball team's 1-0 win over Quinnipiac in the home opener Wednesday, freshman
shortstop Quianna Diaz-Patterson marveled at how far she's come.
"It was
really fun just to be on the field," the former Amherst Regional standout
said. "I used to watch the UMass team play - now I'm on the field with
them."
Diaz-Patterson had
an outstanding career at Amherst Regional with 144 hits and 105 stolen bases,
but she came into the UMass season unsure of how her abilities would translate
to the Division I college level.
Jon Baker of the Pawtucket Times has an article on Kyllie Magill, the starting second baseman on the softball team.
It's hard to believe Kyllie Magill, the former St. Raphael Academy All-State softball catcher, is now in her final semester at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. It seems like only yesterday she had been drilling doubles and blocking the plate for the Saints, who always were in contention to win the Division I state title.
"This season, I'd like to win the A-10 championship, and also win an NCAA (Division I) Regional (game)," she explained via e-mail Monday. "We have an All-American pitcher (Plourde) and some great players, so I think we have the tools to do that.
"We have a shot to go undefeated in the conference with the great team we
have, and that would be cool, too," she continued. "Individually, I just want
to be a great leader, give my team good at-bats and be a strong presence on the
field."
Wednesday was a day of celebration out at the UMass Softball Complex. After a one-day delay, the 2012 home opener went off without a hitch as the Minutewomen defeated Quinnipiac 1-0. Senior pitcher Sara Plourde established herself as the strikeout queen of UMass softball by becoming the school's career strikeout leader, surpassing Danielle Henderson's mark of 1,343 strikeouts. Oh, and SP also tossed her fourth no-hitter of the season in the process. Just a reminder that UMass hosts Dayton this weekend with single games on Friday at 3 pm and Saturday at Noon.
The Daily Collegian's annual Baseball/Softball Preview issue hit newsstands on Monday and here are the softball articles compiled by writers Nick Canelas, Stephen Hewitt and David Martin.
Graham Hays of ESPN.com has his weekly preview of softball around the country and has a couple of UMass mentions. He has Saturday's game at No. 1 Alabama listed in his Games to Watch This Weekend and in his Player of the Year sidebar, mentions UMass senior right-hander Sara Plourde. In saying her stock is rising, he references her strong game against No. 12 Michigan last weekend when she struck out 16 in leading the Minutewomen to a 1-0 victory. He goes on to mention her 16 Ks in his By the Numbers segment.
Alabama has already faced some good mid-major pitching this season, including North Dakota State's Whitney Johnson, Memphis' Carly Hummel and Lipscomb's Whitney Kiihnl, but UMass ace Sara Plourde is as good a power pitcher as they will face all season, in or out of conference.
Stock up: There were some special pitching performances in Cathedral City, but one of the best of the weekend came on the other side of the country in the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Florida. Pitching her second game of the day, Plourde allowed just two hits and struck out 16 in a 1-0 win against Michigan. The senior's overall numbers are still modest for a mid-major award hopeful (4-4, 2.17 ERA), but 83 strikeouts in 51.2 innings will keep her in the debate.
16: Massachusetts senior pitcher Sara Plourde struck out a season-high 16 batters in a 1-0 win against Michigan Friday, making it the first time the Wolverines had been shut out since a May 27, 2010 super regional loss to Tennessee. Plourde showed no letup in her next start, striking out 15 in a no-hitter against Georgia Tech.
Republican: UMass freshman shortstop Quianna Diaz-Patterson - a high school softball star stays home
Dick Baker has a feature story on softball freshman Quianna Diaz-Patterson and her adjustment to college softball.
'Q' had a solid opening weekend down in Florida where she hit .294 with three doubles, an RBI and started all five games at shortstop.
Happy Birthday to men's soccer player Michael Doherty and softball player Kyllie Magil!
Well the Stratford Brakettes softball team is up to its old tricks again, posting a 55-0 record so far this summer with the season winding down to the Women's Major Softball National Championship on Aug. 4-7.
This year's squad features three former Minutewomen, Brandice Balschmiter, Denise Denis, and Carly Normandin, and one current player, two-time All-American Sara Plourde.
The Brakettes swept a pair of doubleheaders over the weekend from the Rhode Island Thunder, 2-0 and 6-0 on Saturday, and 16-0 and 11-0 on Sunday.
Balschmiter picked up a win each on Saturday and Sunday, while Denis and Normandin each homered in game one on Sunday.
The shortstop and leadoff batter led the Hurricanes softball team to the Massachusetts Division 1 State Finals by batting .559 in her senior season with a .604 on-base percentage, eight homers, and 21 RBIs. She stole 105 bases in her three-year career without being thrown out a single time.
Diaz-Patterson, one of five incoming freshmen for Elaine Sortino, was also a state champion in the swimming pool for Amherst, in addition to starring in field hockey.
Kacey Schmitt, the Amherst Regional Head Coach had this to say about Diaz-Patterson: "Softball is her passion and it shows in the way she plays. Her athleticism is off the charts and that really stands out. She has quick hands and quick feet, and it's that kind of quickness that really sets her apart from any other player in Western Mass. And as a senior captain, she cared about everybody on the team. We're going to miss her on so many levels, but we look forward to seeing her play at UMass."
The terrific game received lots of media attention. Check out the coverage below, including a pair of features on Kelley.
UMass softball NLI signee Quianna Diaz-Patterson, a hometown product and senior shortstop at Amherst Regional High School led the Hurricanes to a 4-0 victory over West Springfield on Tuesday in the Western Mass. Division 1 semifinals at Elms College.
The speedy left-handed leadoff batter needed just one at-bat to turn the game in Amherst's favor, driving a ball down the right field line and circling the bases, diving into home ahead of the catcher's tag for an inside-the-park home run.
The Daily Hampshire Gazette has a great recap of the game, including Amherst's coach giving Diaz-Patterson some high praise:
"Her hands are so quick," Hurricanes coach Kacey Schmitt said. "I've been watching a lot of the Women's College World Series. They talk about it a lot, 'this girl's quick hands,' and I watch it thinking that Quianna can do that. There aren't many high school coaches that can say that when they are watching Florida and Alabama, both offensively and defensively.
"She's got the raw talent that is so rare and she's got the smarts. She's played a lot of softball and she's worked very hard to get as good as she is and she's used the talent that she was given."
Amherst (21-1) will face Agawam (18-4) in the Western Mass. Division 1 Championship game at Diaz-Patterson's future home field - the UMass Softball Complex - on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Former UMass softball player Rachel Lawson '94/'98 made lots of headlines this weekend. In her fourth year as head coach at Kentucky, she led the Wildcats to to victory in the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional and into the Super Regional round.
UKAthletics.com, Seventh Inning Comeback Leads Wildcats To Supers
Lexington Herald-Leader, 7th Inning Rally Puts UK Softball In Super Regionals
NCAA.com, Kentucky Surprises No. 10 Michigan
The Kentucky Kernel, UK Softball Makes Program History With Walk-Off-Win
The Wildcats opened play on Friday with an 8-0 win over Notre Dame, before knocking off No. 10 overall seed Michigan on Saturday, 7-6. Lawson's squad then advanced to the Super Regionals, where it will face No. 7 seed California in a best-of-three series, with a 2-1 win over the host Wolverines on Sunday.
Lawson was a two-time All-Conference performer for Elaine Sortino's Minutewomen. During her four-year career, she led UMass to a 142-68 record, four Atlantic 10 regular season titles, three A-10 tournament titles, and the 1992 Women's College World Series.
The Daily Hampshire Gazette has a story on Diaz-Patterson's stellar performance.
It was a historic day at the UMass Softball Complex on Wednesday as junior pitcher Sara Plourde, with a 14-strikeout three-hitter, led UMass to a 3-2 win over Boston University and recorded the 1,000th strikeout of her career. She is just the third pitcher in UMass history to reach the mark, joining Danielle Henderson and Brandice Balschmiter, and the first to do it prior to her senior season.
The UMass softball team concluded a busy six-game week with a doubleheader split at home against Syracuse on Friday and then a twinbill sweep over George Washington on Easter Sunday which included a dramatic come-from-behind eight-inning victory in game two. The Minutewomen continue their 12-game homestand on Wednesday when they host Boston University at 5 p.m. at the UMass Softball Complex. Below are recaps from this weekend's games.
The Minutewomen travelled to Storrs, Conn. on Wednesday and shut out the Huskies, 2-0. Stephanie Mayne hit a two-run home run in the third inning to account for all the scoring, while Sara Plourde pitched her eighth shutout of the season with a three-hitter. Playing in her home state, she struck out 13 batters, including the final three of the game with two runners on base. Below are recaps of the game.
The Minutewomen return home to host Fairfield today at 5 p.m., kicking off a 12-game homestand at the UMass Softball Complex.
Pete Vasquez of the Daily Collegian has a recap of Friday's softball win at Dayton, 9-1. Sara Plourde struck out 17 in a three-hitter, and Meghan Carta and Stephanie Mayne hit back-to-back home runs, Carta's being her second grand slam of the season. The Minutewomen have won eight in a row.
This week will be a busy one for the softball team. It travels to Storrs on Wednesday to face UConn before returning home for five-straight to close the week. On Thursday, The Minutewomen host Fairfield, on Friday it's a doubleheader against Syracuse, and on Sunday, George Washington comes to the UMass Softball Complex for an Atlantic 10 twinbill.
"She's like our second leadoff [hitter]," Assistant Coach Kristi Stefanoni said. "She's someone we can depend on to get on base and use her speed and then have the heart of the order... [come up] to drive Cyndil in."
Matthew has been getting on base with regularity as of late, batting .346 with a .433 on-base percentage and six runs scored in the last 10 games.
Senior Cerie Mosgrove of the women's basketball team and senior Sean Busch of the men's track & field squad have been named the 2011 UMass Winter Scholar-Athletes. The duo will be honored at the UMass Sports Luncheon today, Apr. 6, at Room 1009 of the Campus Center at 12:15 p.m.
Also, the UMass Athletes of the Week will be recognized: Sara Plourde of the softball team, who was also named the National Player of the Week and Katie Ferris of the women's lacrosse squad, who tallied 12 points in two wins for No. 11 UMass.
Best birthday wishes to softball senior Meghan Carta and baseball sophomore Anthony Serino on April 5.
The UMass softball team opened up their home schedule in style on Wednesday, sweeping a doubleheader from Dartmouth, 1-0 and 6-2. Sara Plourde and Caroline Raymond combined to hold the Big Green hitless through the first 12 innings of play. Check out the coverage of the two wins below.
Plourde Pitches Not-Hitter, Leads Minutewomen To Doubleheader Sweep, Matt Vautour, Hampshire Gazette
Plourde Throws A No-No As UMass Sweeps Big Green, Stephen Hewitt, Daily Collegian
UM Finds Other Ways Besides Long Ball To Generate Offense, Michael Wood, Daily Collegian
UMass Softball Sweeps Dartmouth, WWLP.com
Softball Fails To Muster Offense In Doubleheader Loss At UMass, Olivia Durr, TheDartmouth.com
UMassAthletics.com Photo Gallery, Thom Kendall
MassLive.com Photo Gallery, J. Anthony Roberts
A trio of birthdays for UMass student-athletes on March 30: swimming senior Gillian Bank, softball junior Stephanie Mayne and swimming freshman Danielle Sekurski.
Steve Levine of the Daily Collegian has a preview of this weekend's softball games at Temple and Saint Joseph's. He points out that the Minutewomen, winners of five out their last seven, have played better as of late, but have areas that need to be improved upon as conference play continues.
Michael Wood of the Daily Collegian has a feature on senior first baseman Audrey Boutin. The story focuses on how the Bristol, Conn. native is a key member to the offense in 2011, and after a slow start, has caught fire as of late, batting .417 with nine RBIs in the last seven games.
With Atlantic 10 Conference play just underway and the home opener on the horizon, the Daily Collegian released its annual Baseball/Softball Issue on Wednesday with extensive coverage of both squads. Check out the links below to all of the softball coverage in today's issue.
The softball team went 2-3 last weekend in the season-opening FAU Kickoff Classic, making it to the tournament's championship game. Below are recaps from the weekend.
Paul Angilly of the of Bristol Press in Connecticut has a story on softball pitcher Sara Plourde as she prepares for the 2011 season that begins on Feb. 18 in Boca Raton, Fla. The story points out how Plourde was named to the National Player of the Year Watch List, is fully recovered from a hip injury suffered at the end of last season, and will be joined by two freshmen additions to the pitching staff. Angilly also points out that fellow Bristol native Audrey Boutin goes into her senior season as a leading candidate to help lead the Minutewomen's offensive attack.
ESPN.com softball expert Graham Hays named UMass as his sleeper to reach the NCAA Super Regionals in his softball blog.
Hays says, "With Plourde (1.30 ERA, 556 strikeouts) healthy, the lineup should have time to find its rhythm on the road to the NCAA tournament."
Hays went on to name fellow A-10 school Fordham as a sleeper to reach the Women's College World Series, and Missouri as a sleeper to win the National Championship.
Happy Birthday to All-American softball pitcher Sara Plourde on Jan. 27! The 2010 A-10 Pitcher of the Year and NCAA strikeouts and wins leader turns the Big 2-1 today!
Best wishes for a great day today on Jan. 19 as women's cross country/track runner Kristin Darling and softball freshman Maggie Quealy celebrate birthdays.
Happy Birthday on Jan. 13 to Assistant Athletic Trainer Lacy Gunn along with soccer's Ben Arikian, softball's Candace Waldie and swimmer Eric Zeimetz
Also, best wishes for a happy birthday to Assistant Athletic Trainer Lacy Gunn.
In recognition of its 35th-year anniversary, the Atlantic 10 Conference is unveiling 35 Years of A-10 History. Major accomplishments and features were collected from each year, and in the conference's No. 4 Highlight, the impact of the 1972 enactment of Title IX and the contributions of women's athletics to the Atlantic 10 is the focus.
Featured in the No. 4 Highlight is the incredible success experienced by the UMass softball program over the last 31 years under the guidance of head coach Elaine Sortino."Under Sortino's direction, UMass has accumulated 22 Atlantic 10 Conference titles and has never suffered a losing season. Sortino has proven her ability to produce exceptional talent during her 31-years at the helm, coaching 27 All-Americans, 13 A-10 Players of the Year, 16 A-10 Pitcher of the Year picks, eight A-10 Rookie of the Year honorees and 116 all-conference selections."
A trio of birthdays today on Dec. 9 including hockey captain Paul Dainton, softball's Cyndil Matthew and lacrosse sophomore Bobby Tyler.
Happy Birthday to softball freshman Paige Hansen, who celebrates on Oct. 11.
Happy Birthday on Oct. 3 to Jordan Storro of the softball team.
Former UMass softball star and current UMass marketing assistant Michelle Libby was interviewed by NBC22 about the music industry and the transition from album sales to downloading music.
Bill Bloxsom of the Stratford Star has a story on UMass softball player and Stratford native Christine Della Vecchia. The middle infielder is coming off her freshmen season for the Minutewomen and rebounded from knee and hand injuries to play for the Stratford Brakettes. She gives the UMass athletic training staff (led by softball athletic trainer Mike Welch) credit for getting her back on the field so fast after her knee surgery this spring. Della Vecchia will be looking to use her Brakettes experience to become an even bigger contributor for UMass this coming season.
Happy Birthday On Aug. 19 to football quarterback Kyle Havens, hockey d-man Michael Marcou, softball grad Whitney Williams and rower Ariadne Zamelis.
Happy Birthday - Aug. 12: Chelsea Downing (swimming), Emily Hagan (crew), Ricky Harris (basketball's third all-time leading scorer), Stephanie Mix (softball).
Kim Burke, an assistant coach at UMass from 2001-03, has been announced as the new softball head coach at Ohio Northern University. The Ada Herald has a story on the hiring. UMass was 92-29 in her three seasons as an assistant under Elaine Sortino, including a Northeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year award in 2003. Burke was most recently an assistant at Kent State before being hired to lead the Polar Bears.
Led by several UMass players and alums, the Stratford Brakettes won the Women's Major Softball National Championship on Sunday by defeating the St. Louis Saints, 4-1. Jessica Serio had three hits and a RBI, Denise Denis collected two doubles, Christine Della Vecchia scored a run, and Carly Normandin made several key defensive plays in center field. The American Chronicle and The Stamford Advocate have coverage.
Also, The Stamford Advocate also has a story on the Brakettes, who have had financial difficulties as of late, have announced that the team will play in 2011.
Three UMass softball players are making strong contributions at the plate for the New England Firebirds U23 summer ball team. The Eagle Tribune has coverage on junior Katie Bettencourt, junior Stephanie Mayne, and incoming freshman Candace Waldie helping lead the Firebirds to winning the Umpires Open in Leominster last weekend, going 6-0 in the 12-team tourney.
Recent UMass softball grad and current marketing assistant Michelle Libby notched a hole-in-one at Cherry Hill Golf Club on Thursday. She nailed the 155-yard par 3 with an 8-iron. Congrats to Libby.
The Boston Globe has a softball story that, though centering on Cassidy Clayton, mentions other players from the Concord Raiders AAU softball team that will be playing at Division I schools. The story mentions UMass incoming freshman Paige Hansen. The 5-10 pitcher/outfielder from Concord, N.H. was the state's 2009 Gatorade Player of the Year. She is part of head coach Elaine Sortino's incoming class of seven.
The injury Sara Plourde received during the UMass run in Division I post-season
play in May, a stress fracture of the hip, has taken her off the playing
field this summer. She's been advised by her doctor to use crutches and
to keep weight off her leg. She'll get an X-ray on Monday to see how
she's doing. The Bristol Press has an update. "I'll definitely be back for next season," she said, "without a doubt."
