BOSTON, Mass. – Plymouth State University rallied from an extra-innings setback in game one to fend off another late push in game two and earn a split of a Little East Conference (LEC) doubleheader against the University of Massachusetts Boston at UMB Softball Field on Sunday.
PSU held a 4-1 lead late in game one, but the Beacons rallied with three runs in the sixth to tie the game, and the score remained deadlocked into extra innings. Senior
Kenzie Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) drove in two runs in the top of the ninth, but UMB responded with three runs in the bottom half to take a 7-6 walk-off win.
In game two, junior
Avery Couch (Fort Worth, Texas) ripped a two-out RBI single to spark a three-run rally in the fifth as PSU again built a 4-1 lead. The Beacons loaded the bases in multiple innings, but graduate pitcher
Emily Antrim (Limerick, Maine) worked out of trouble. UMass Boston threatened another comeback in its final at-bat, cutting the deficit to 4-3 and loading the bases once again, but freshman
Allie Cecere (Plainville, Mass.) came on to record the final two outs and secure her first career save.
Plymouth State improves to 15-16-1 (7-5 LEC), while UMass Boston moves to 19-11 (4-8 LEC).
The Basics:
- Game One: Plymouth State 6, UMass Boston 7 (9 Inn.)
- Game Two: Plymouth State 4, UMass Boston 3
- Plymouth State (15-16-1, 7-5 LEC)
- UMass Boston (19-11, 4-8 LEC)
How it Happened (Game One):
- Plymouth State took advantage of some wildness from the Beacons' starter in the second inning. With one out, five consecutive walks pushed two runs across. Bessette and senior Ariana Cray (Merrimack, N.H.) both singled later in the inning to make it 4-0.
- UMass Boston responded with a run in the bottom half to cut the deficit to 4-1.
- The Beacons tied the game with three unearned runs in the sixth.
- Freshman Addison Willett (Kingston, Mass.) singled with one out in the ninth, and sophomore Eva Zuber (Lakeville, Mass.) drew a walk. After a flyout, another walk loaded the bases before Bessette delivered a two-run single to give PSU a 6-4 lead.
- UMB opened the bottom half with a solo home run to cut the deficit to one. After a single, Antrim recorded back-to-back outs, but UMass Boston responded with an infield hit and walk-off two-run double to win it.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- Bessette finished with three singles, three RBIs, and a stolen base.
- Cray went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
- Willett reached twice (single, walk) and scored twice, while Zuber drew two walks and scored twice.
- Cecere allowed just two earned runs over 8.0+ innings.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- Bessette singled, stole second, and scored on Couch's two-out single to give PSU a 1-0 lead in the first.
- UMass Boston tied the game in the second.
- Antrim worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the third to keep the score tied.
- In the fifth, Bessette singled and was bunted to second before Couch delivered another two-out RBI single. Senior Abbey Nezuch (Marlborough, Mass.) followed with an RBI double, and junior Kennedy Michaud (Auburn, N.H.) added a run-scoring single to make it 4-1.
- Antrim escaped another bases-loaded situation in the fifth.
- The Beacons rallied in the seventh with back-to-back singles and a one-out double to cut the lead to 4-3. A walk put the go-ahead run on base and an infield hit loaded the bases again, but Cecere induced an infield popup and a groundout to close out the win.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- Bessette went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
- Couch had a four-hit game, scoring once and driving in two.
- Nezuch finished 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Michaud added two hits and an RBI.
- Antrim earned the win, allowing three runs over 6.1 innings, while Cecere recorded her first career save.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State visits Keene State on Tuesday (Apr. 28) for a league doubleheader at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
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