University of Massachusets Athletics

Thursday, May 7
Bronx. N.Y.
1:00 PM

University of Massachusetts

5
vs
1

Fordham

Carly Normandin hit one of three UMass home runs on Thursday.

UMass' Big Bats Lead The Way Over Fordham In A-10 Tourney, 5-1

May 07, 2009 | Softball

May 7, 2009

Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

BRONX, N.Y. - Sarah Reeves, Samantha Salato, and Carly Normandin all hit home runs and Brandice Balschmiter earned the victory as #24/20 and top-seeded UMass softball (36-8) defeated fourth-seeded Fordham (37-21), 5-1, on Thursday afternoon in the Atlantic 10 Tournament at Bashovy Field. The game took just over six hours to play as there was a four hour and fifteen minute rain delay in the sixth inning. The Minutewomen move on to face the winner of Thursday night's contest between second-seeded Charlotte and third-seeded Saint Louis on Friday at 1 p.m.

Reeves finished the day 2-for-2 with a home run, a walk, and two RBI to pace the UMass offense.

Balschmiter (29-4) went the distance in the circle for the Minutewomen, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts.

After both starting pitchers tossed perfect first innings, UMass' power hitters struck in the bottom of the second. Reeves led off the inning by crushing Plimpton's 2-2 offering deep over the fence in left-center for the junior first baseman's 10th of the season. Salato made it back-to-back blasts by hitting a high fly to left-center that cleared the fence and gave UMass a 2-0 lead.

The homer was Salato's 16th of the season, setting a new UMass and Atlantic 10 record for a single season. Former teammate Stacy Cullington owned the former record of 15 set in 2007.

Normandin got in on the long-ball act in the bottom of the third, lining a 2-0 pitch down the right field line and out for her 10th round-tripper of the season, upping the Minutewomen lead to 3-0.

After Davina Hernandez led off the bottom of the fifth inning by reaching on an error by the pitcher, Plimpton, Normandin walked to put two runners on with nobody out. Whitney Williams' fielder's choice made it runners at first and second with one out, and after a line out to center by Whitney Mollica, brought Reeves to the plate with two outs. She came through in the clutch, singling to right-center to score Normandin with UMass' fourth run.

Balschmiter had a string of 11 in a row retired broken in the top of the sixth when a one-out single to left field and a two-out walk put two runners on for Mary Beth Puccio. The Fordham designated player singled to left to drive in Melissa Andrew and cut the UMass lead to 4-1.

As the bottom of the sixth started, rain began to fall. It quickly escalated into a torrential downpour accompanied by lightning, resulting in the game being sent into a rain delay at 2:30 p.m. with nobody out and a one strike count to the inning's leadoff batter, Audrey Boutin.

Following a four hour and fifteen minute rain delay, play resumed at 6:45. The UMass offense got things going immediately with Boutin reaching base on a hit by pitch. Kyllie Magill's sacrifice bunt was mishandled, outing runners on first and second. Jessica Serio's groundball to third resulted in a force at third base, but the throw to first on the double play attempt was high and put runners on the corners. Hernandez followed by doubling to deep centerfield to drive in Magill and make it a 5-1 game.

UMass Softball | Broadcast Highlights vs. Saint Louis | Game 3 05.03.25
Saturday, May 03
UMass Softball | Broadcast Highlights vs. Saint Louis (Game 2) | 05.02.25
Friday, May 02
UMass Softball vs. Stonehill | Broadcast Highlights | 04.30.24
Wednesday, April 30
UMass SB | Game 2 Highlights vs St. Bonaventure | 04.14.25
Tuesday, April 15