University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Saint Louis
Williams' RBI Sneaks #21 UMass Past Saint Louis, 1-0
April 23, 2010 | Softball
April 23, 2010
ST. LOUIS - Whitney Williams singled up the middle in the top of the second inning to drive in Jessica Serio with the game's only run as No. 21 UMass (29-7) defeated Saint Louis (23-20), 1-0, on Friday afternoon at the Billiken Sports Center. Sara Plourde struck out 14 in a one-hit shutout performance that improved the Minutewomen to 9-0 in A-10 play as the Billikens fell to 9-4. The same teams meet again on Saturday at noon ET.
Plourde (28-5) and SLU starter Hannah Huebbe (12-8) dueled all game. The Minutewomen collected six hits total on the day off Huebbe while she struck out three and walked three. Plourde allowed just one hit, an infield single to Kristen Nicoletti in the third inning, walked five and struck out 14.
Plourde's first strikeout of the game was her 400th of the season, making her just the second pitcher in UMass history to reach the milestone. The nation's strikeout leader finished the game with 413 for the season, placing her behind Danielle Henderson's 1998 (430) and 1999 (465) seasons.
After UMass stranded Kyllie Magill following her one-out double in the first inning, Serio doubled with one out in the second. Michelle Libby walked to set up Williams, who with two outs sent a ground ball up the middle that brought in the game's only run.
A two-out walk to pinch-hitter Rachel O'Connell put the tying run on-base for the Billikens in the bottom of the seventh, but Plourde got Tori Holland to fly out to center field to end the game.
Besides the lone hit off Plourde, Nicoletti walked twice and stole three bases for the Billikens, reaching third base twice and second once.
Katie Bettencourt finished 2-for-3 at the plate for UMass, while Carly Normandin also recorded a hit.
UMass left seven on base while SLU stranded five.
The game was originally scheduled for 6 p.m. ET but was moved up to 4 p.m. ET due to the threat of rain in the St. Louis area. Saturday's game has been moved up to a noon ET start from its originally scheduled time of 1 p.m. ET.
