BOSTON, Mass. – Plymouth State University had plenty of traffic on the bases in game two of a Little East Conference (LEC) double header at the University of Massachusetts Boston on Saturday afternoon, but the Panthers were unable to come away with the big hit as the Beacons earned the sweep at UMass Boston Softball Field.
The Panthers had multiple runners on base in five separate innings of game two, but the Beacons threw out two runners at the plate to hold a 2-0 lead into the seventh. Plymouth State loaded the bases in its final at bat, but the pitcher made a good play on a hard-hit ball back up the middle to turn a game-ending 1-2-3 double play.
UMass Boston took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second of the opener, but PSU rallied with a pair of unearned runs in the next half inning to tie the game. The hosts answered right back in the bottom of the frame to retake the lead before tacking on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth.
Plymouth State slips to 6-10 (0-2 LEC), while the Beacons go to 16-2 (2-0 LEC).
The Basics:
- GAME ONE: Plymouth State 2, UMass Boston 6
- GAME TWO: Plymouth State 0, UMass Boston 2
- Plymouth State (6-10, 0-2 LEC)
- UMass Boston (16-2, 2-0 LEC)
How it Happened (Game One):
- Sophomore Emily Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) and junior Mia Ly (Lowell, Mass.) worked back-to-back walks in the first but were stranded.
- The hosts plated two runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead.
- Sophomore Kenzie Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) reached on a one-out infield hit in the third and E. Bessette walked. Both came around to score on a Beacons' error to tie the game at 2-2.
- UMass Boston retook the lead in the bottom of the inning with a pair of unearned runs.
- Sophomore Ariana Cray (Merrimack, N.H.) opened the fifth with an infield hit and moved up to third on a pair of ground balls. E. Bessette walked to put the tying run on base, but a flyout ended the threat.
- The hosts added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth and PSU was unable to rally in its final at bat.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- Plymouth State was limited to two hits – singles from K. Bessette and Cray.
- E. Bessette walked three times and scored a run.
- Junior Kate McGrath (Boston, Mass.) struck out five and allowed four earned runs while throwing all six innings.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- K. Bessette opened the game with an infield hit and took second on a passed ball. E. Bessette followed with an infield hit and a stolen base put two runners in scoring position. One run was cut down at the plate on a fielder's choice off the bat of Ly. Ly swiped second and sophomore Abbey Nezuch (Marlborough, Mass.) reached on an infield hit but the runners couldn't advance. A strikeout and line out ended the threat, though.
- The hosts rode the momentum, using a two-out hit to plate the game's first run in the bottom of the frame.
- PSU put two runners on in the second on a hit by pitch and K. Bessette's second base hit, but again the rally was thwarted.
- Nezuch roped a one-out double in the third and junior Jade Guertin (Oakland, R.I.) was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. Freshman Kennedy Michaud (Auburn, N.H.) followed with a single to left, but a perfect throw to the plate cut down the runner at home and ended the inning.
- The Beacons added an unearned run in the third to make it 2-0.
- Sophomore Emily Antrim (Limerick, Maine) worked some magic to maintain the two-run deficit in the fourth. UMB got a leadoff triple and a walk put two runners on, but Antrim induced a line out and, after a walk loaded the bases, came up huge with back-to-back strikeouts to keep the score 2-0.
- Freshman Avery Couch (Fort Worth, Texas) and Guertin had two-out singles in the fifth but PSU was unable to bring them around.
- E. Bessette was hit by a pitch to start the seventh and Ly followed with an infield hit. After a strikeout, Couch ripped a single to center to load the bases, but UMass Boston escaped unscathed when Guertin's hard-hit comebacker was gloved by the pitcher for a 1-2-3 double play to end the game.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- K. Bessette, Nezuch and Couch all had two-hit games.
- Nezuch had the lone extra base hit.
- Antrim scattered six hits and allowed just one earned run while going the distance. She struck out four.
Up Next:
- The Panthers are off for another ten days before visiting Rivier for a pair of non-conference games on Apr. 10.
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