University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Michigan State
Softball Snipes Two Wins At Combat Classic
February 11, 2012 | Softball
Feb. 11, 2012
Friday Box Scores: Michigan State | FIU
Updated Season Stats
MIAMI, Fla. - The Minutewomen started off slow in their first game of the day against Florida International. The Panthers scored first in the bottom of the second after the sun got the best of third baseman Teea Rodgers and she dropped the pop up by Jessy Alfonso, advancing Kayla Burri home.
UMass struck back at their next at bat, however, and tied the game when a Kyllie Magill double sent Cyndil Matthew home.
Then, in the fifth inning, a highlight-reel worthy catch by Christine Della Veccia in center field seemed to give the Minutewomen the spark they needed to start a seventh inning performance that would lead to their 3-1 victory.
Magill came to the plate and sent one to center field that allowed Bridget Lemire, who got on base by way of a single to left field, to score. Then, a sacrifice fly out to center field by Katie Bettencourt sent in Della Vecchia to give the Minutewomen their three runs.
UMass finished off FIU with three quick outs in the bottom of the seventh via three fly balls.
The Minutewomen played under the lights later in the day, battling it out for the victory over Michigan State. There were a total of 20 hits in the game, 12 of them belonging to UMass and three belonging to the left fielder Cyndil Matthew. Lemire got her first career start at pitcher during this game, and struckout three batters while pitching an efficient 96 pitches.
Tiffany Meeks came out swinging and homered early in the second inning. The Spartans answered back quickly, however, and scored three in the top of the third off of a walked in run and a double that advanced two to home plate.
Meeks homered again in the fourth inning, and then had a sacrifice fly in the fourth that sent in Bettencourt. A Stephanie Mayne two-run homerun in the fifth inning put UMass back on top 5-3.
MSU scored again in the fifth, but UMass answered with two runs in the sixth when the Spartan pitcher hit two batters with wild pitches and sent in two Minutewomen, bringing the score to 7-4.
Michigan State would try and rally in the seventh, scoring two runs off of UMass errors, but their efforts would not be enough, and UMass came out with the win, 7-6.
