Feb. 28, 2009

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ga. - For 6 2/3 innings on Saturday night, Brandice Balschmiter was unhittable, and despite giving up an infield single to lose the no-hitter with two outs in the seventh, pitched #22/17 UMass to a 2-0 victory over #13 DePaul in the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The Minutewomen, 2-0 this weekend and 8-4 overall, will finish up play in Columbus, Ga. on Sunday with a 10 p.m. match-up with #18/17 Northwestern.

Samantha Salato drove in the first run of the game for the second-straight game. Whitney Williams led off the third inning with a walk and was bunted over to second base by Michelle Libby (2 SAC). After a Whitney Mollica groundout moved Williams to third, Salato delivered with two outs, singling to center field and putting UMass on top, 1-0.

The score would stay 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning when Carly Normandin led the inning off with a home run to right center field on a 1-0 pitch, making it 2-0. It was the junior centerfielder's second home run of the season and second in as many games.

In two games at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, Normandin is 4-4 with two home runs, two sacrifice bunts, three RBI, and a walk.

Up until the seventh inning, just two DePaul batters reached base, one on an error and the other on a hit-by-pitch. Balschmiter carried what would have been her eighth no-hitter into the seventh inning and after a fly out and fielder's choice, Annie Demis hit a groundball up the middle. Second baseman Kyllie Magill was able make a diving stop, but was unable to complete a force-play at second base.

Balschmiter struck out the final batter to give her seven punch-outs for the game. She improves to 7-2 on the season while picking up her sixth shutout and third-straight. In picking up her 99th career win, Balschmiter ran her scoreless innings streak to 21.

Blue Demons' starter Lynsey Dean allowed seven hits and five walks to get tagged with her first loss of the season (5-1).

After rain caused many games to get canceled and some teams left the NFCA Leadoff Classic, a revised schedule was released on Saturday. That schedule included the cancellations of UMass' games vs. Georgia, Mississippi State, and Southern Illinois. Instead, the Minutewomen faced DePaul and on Sunday will face Northwestern at 10 a.m.