WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Junior
Sam McCann (Berlin, N.H.) went 3-for-3 with a homer and sophomore
Alyssa Wilson (Haverhill, Mass.) struck out eight in a complete game win as Plymouth State University held off the University of Massachusetts Boston, 4-3, to stave off elimination at the Little East Conference (LEC) softball championship at Clyde Washburne Field on the campus of Eastern Connecticut State University on Wednesday night.
PSU was nipped, 2-1, in the team's first game of the day, falling to third-seeded University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. The Panthers rebounded with a win in the nightcap, though, to eliminate fifth-seeded UMass Boston.
The teams traded single runs in the first and third innings, but senior
Niah Colby (Lunenburg, Vt.) roped a double to give Plymouth State its first lead, 3-2, and an inning later McCann blasted a solo shot to right for insurance run. UMB pulled within one in the sixth, but Wilson worked a one-two-three seventh to lift the Panthers into day two.
PSU was locked in a pitcher's duel in the first-round game against UMass Dartmouth as the game was tied 1-1 in the fifth. The Panthers had two runners in scoring position with just one out, but UMD escaped without allowing a run and the Corsairs walked it off in the seventh for a 2-1 win, sending PSU into the elimination game.
Plymouth State moves to 13-22 on the season and will square off against the loser of second-seeded University of Southern Maine and third-seeded UMass Dartmouth tomorrow (May 5) at 6:00 p.m. in another elimination game.
The Basics:
- LEC Tournament Game Two: Plymouth State 1, UMass Dartmouth 2
- LEC Tournament Game Three: Plymouth State 4, UMass Boston 3
- Plymouth State (13-22)
- UMass Dartmouth (31-8-1)
- UMass Boston (21-19)
How it Happened (UMass Dartmouth):
- Sophomore Vanessa Bryan (Stoneham, Mass.) had the first hit of the game, dropping a single on the left field line with one down in the second. After moving up on a ground out, she raced around the bases to score when senior Madison Harris (Randolph, Mass.) hit a soft single to center.
- UMass Dartmouth was able to tie the game in the third with a two-out single. The Corsairs had runners on first and second, looking to pull in front, but junior Rachyl Parslow (Temple, N.H.) made a nice running catch on a bloop in shallow center to keep the game tied.
- Senior Katie Burk (East Islip, N.Y.) singled, and Colby was hit by a pitch to start the fifth. After the runners were bunted over, UMD got a foul popup for the second out. Freshman Mia Ly (Lowell, Mass.) followed with a sharp ground ball deep in the shortstop hole but was just thrown out on a bang-bang play at first to end the inning.
- The Corsairs put a pair of runners on with one down in the sixth, but freshman Samantha Fancher (Gales Ferry, Conn.) covered significant ground to run down a soft fly ball in foul territory and sophomore Nicole LeBrun (Concord, N.H.) ended the inning with a big strikeout.
- UMD got back-to-back one-out singles and the runners moved up on a wild pitch. LeBrun got an infield popup for the second out, but a walk loaded the bases and the Corsairs' runner at third just beat the tag to score on a walk-off wild pitch.
By the Numbers (UMass Dartmouth):
- Burk went 2-for-3, while senior Lauren Archambault (Rehoboth, Mass.) reached twice with a single and a walk.
- Bryan, Parslow and Harris were all 1-for-3 with singles.
- LeBrun struck out eight and allowed just six hits but took the loss.
- UMass Dartmouth has won 11 straight games.
How it Happened (UMass Boston):
- The Beacons had a runner on third with no outs in the top of the first. Wilson nearly got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts, but a bunt single gave UMB a 1-0 lead.
- PSU came right back in the bottom of the inning. Fancher slapped a single to left and scored from second when McCann smacked a two-out single just out of reach of the shortstop to tie the game.
- UMass Boston pulled back in front with a run in the third, but Fancher ripped a single up the middle and advanced on a throwing error to kick off the bottom of the frame. Archambault hit a slow roller to second and the fielder's throw was off target allowing Fancher to tie the game.
- Harris ripped a double to the wall in right center to start the fourth and with one away Colby laced a double over the right fielder's head to score pinch runner Kaity Montelongo (South Paris, Maine) as PSU took a 3-2 lead.
- McCann extended the lead to 4-2 in the fifth when she drove a ball the opposite way and out for her third home run of the year.
- UMass Boston came right back to trim the deficit to 4-3 with a run in the sixth.
- Wilson wrapped up the complete game win by retiring the side in order in the seventh.
By the Numbers (UMass Boston):
- Fancher went 2-for-4 and scored a pair of runs from the leadoff spot.
- McCann was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of singles to go with her home run. She drove in two.
- Parslow, Harris, Burk and Colby were all 1-for-3.
- Wilson struck out eight in the complete game win. She scattered seven hits to improve to 5-4 on the year.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State advances to day two and will face the loser of No. 2 Southern Maine and No. 3 UMass Dartmouth in another elimination game Thursday (May 5) at 6:00 p.m.
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