University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Fordham
Plourde Pitches #23 UMass To Sweep At Fordham
April 03, 2010 | Softball
April 3, 2010
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
BRONX, N.Y. - In a matchup of two of the nation's top pitchers, Sara Plourde outdueled Jen Mineau in two games to lead No. 23 UMass softball (21-7) two a doubleheader sweep at Fordham (26-8) in a clash of undefeated Atlantic 10 teams on Saturday afternoon at Bahoshy Field. Plourde, who came into the week second in the country in strikeouts, fanned 29 batters, while Mineau, third in the country entering the week, struck out 22. With the two wins, UMass improved to 6-0 in Atlantic 10 play while the Rams, receiving votes in this week's NFCA poll, fell to 4-2.
Plourde (20-5) struck out the first nine batters she faced in game one and retired the first 20 batters of the game before allowing a single to Jamie LaBovick with two strikes and two outs in the seventh inning. She finished game one with just the one hit allowed and 18 strikeouts. In game two, the sophomore righthander allowed just one hit through six innings before the Rams got four hits, one a two-run home run, in the seventh inning before ending the game with her 11th strikeout.
Plourde's 302 strikeouts on the season is the sixth highest single season total in UMass history.
Mineau (18-5) finished the day with 22 Ks, 12 in game one and 10 in game two. The sophomore allowed two runs on six hits and a walk in game one and allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits and a walk in game two.
The Minutewomen carried a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh in game two, but after getting just two hits off Plourde through 13 innings, the Rams collected four hits. After a flyout to start the inning, a single through the left side set of Beckah Wiggins' two-run home run to left field, making it a one-run game. After a flyout for the second out, two straight singles put the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base, but Plourde struck out pinch-hitter Nicole Callahan to end the game.
In the top half of the seventh inning, Audrey Boutin drove in Teea Rogers (2-2, 2B, 3B, SAC in game two) from third after the freshman's one-out triple to left center with a pinch-hit single through the left side to score what turned out to be the decisive run.
UMass started the scoring in game two with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kyllie Magill in the top of the first inning. The lead reached 2-0 in fifth inning after Rogers led off with a double and Carly Normandin followed with a double, putting runners and second and third for Whitney Williams' (2-2, 2B in game two) RBI groundout.
In game one, the scoreless duel was broken up in the top of the third on a two-out double by Magill that drove in Williams with the first run after the senior had doubled with one out.
Katie Bettencourt made it 2-0 and closed the scoring in the top of the sixth by blasting a solo home run to left field, her third of the season.
UMass returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to Boston College for a 4 p.m. game before returning to Amherst for the home opener at the UMass Softball Complex on Wednesday against Boston University at 5 p.m.
