Bonnies drop two to Massachusetts in regular season finale :: Minutewomen extend A-10 winning streak to 44 games

May 4, 2008

Final Stats - Game One
Final Stats - Game Two

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Nationally ranked Massachusetts extended its Atlantic 10 regular season and postseason winning streak to 44 games with a pair of victories over the St. Bonaventure softball team on Sunday afternoon at McGraw-Jennings Field in the regular season finales for both clubs.

Junior ace Brandice Balschmitter tossed her fifth no-hitter of the season, while the Minutewomen bats pounded out 12 hits and 11 runs in an 11-0 five-inning mercy triumph in the opener. Thanks to a two-run rally in the top of the seventh, Massachusetts preserved its second straight perfect campaign in league play with a thrilling 2-1 come-from-behind win in game two.

Despite dropping both contests on Sunday, the Bonnies earned the second seed in next week's A-10 Championship due to the outcomes of multiple games throughout the league. The second slot is the best regular season finish for the Brown and White in program history and gives the club a first round bye at the D.L. Phillips Softball Complex in Charlotte, N.C.

The Brown and White finished 20-23 overall during the 2008 campaign with an 11-7 mark in A-10 action. Both of the club's totals in this year's win column place them second on the school's overall and conference victory charts. The 20th-ranked Minutewomen improved to 36-11 (20-0) following today's series sweep with 26 straight wins.

Game one manufactured little drama as Massachusetts tallied seven of its 11 runs in the first two innings to cruise towards an 11-0 shutout victory. With the aid of a pair of Bona fielding errors in the top of the first, the perennial A-10 power posted three runs to take an early 3-0 advantage. Following a miscue at first base, junior Whitney Mollica mashed a two-run homer in the next at-bat to put the Minutewomen on the board. The visiting side added their third score of the fame moments later off an RBI single from sophomore Jessica Serio.

Mollica and Serio each struck again in the second inning with a sacrifice fly and RBI single, respectively. Sophomore Sarah Reeves also chipped in on the scoring with a two-run single to right field to account for the 7-0 lead after two.

Massachusetts sealed the 11-0 mercy rule win in the fifth frame with four more runs thanks to a two-run double from sophomore Carly Normandin and a Whitney Williams two-run yard ball.

Balschmitter silenced the Bona bats to the tune of zero hits en route to her 25th win of the season. The junior ace allowed only two Bonnie base runners with a pair of first inning walks and faced just one batter over the minimum.

Senior Brianna Bricker (2-6) picked up the loss in the circle by surrendering nine hits over four innings. However, only three of the nine runs she gave up were earned. Freshman Sarah Signore pitched one inning in relief.

The pitching match up in game two dominated the early stages of the nightcap as sophomores Sherri Thompson and Bailey Sanders tossed four straight scoreless innings heading into the fifth frame.

After notching their first two hits of the series in the second and third frames, the Bonnies doubled their hit output in the fifth en route to their first lead of day at 1-0. Sophomore Stephanie Narde led off with a walk and scored from first following a two-out double into left field from freshman Shelly Seeger.

However, the lead only lasted an inning as the Minutewomen responded in their last attempt at the dish with a pair of runs to take a 2-1 edge over the home club. Following a pair of singles, Normandin doubled into left field to bring home two runs. Sanders retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to seal the win.

Thompson dropped to 16-10 on the season and 11-3 in league play despite allowing just two runs in the complete game. Despite the loss, the righty has enjoyed one of the best years of any Bona pitcher as she now holds single-season records for appearances (30), starts (28), complete games (26), shutouts (6), strikeouts (168) and innings pitched (202.2), while ranking second in victories.

The Bonnies registered only four hits on the day after being shutout at the plate in game one. Seeger accounted for half of the club's hits thanks to a 2-for-2 performance in today's second contest.

St. Bonaventure returns to action at the Atlantic 10 Championship hosted by Charlotte next week. Due to their second place finish, the Bonnies will resume play on the second day of the tournament on Thursday, May 8 at 4:00 p.m. The Brown and White will take on the winner of the #3 Charlotte vs. #6 Saint Louis first round contest.