April 8, 2007
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
AMHERST, Mass. - Saint Louis suffered its first losses of the Atlantic 10 Conference softball season on Sunday after being swept in a doubleheader at UMass. The Minutewomen pounded the Billikens for eight runs on eight hits in five innings for an 8-0 win in the first game, and followed that up with a 5-0 victory in the nightcap. SLU managed just three hits in the two-game set and falls to 19-21 overall and 6-2 in the A-10. UMass improves to 19-12-1 and 6-0 in A-10 play.
UMass put its potent offense on display early and often in game one of the twin bill. Whitney Mollica got it started with a two-run double, and Lauren Procter and Amanda Acampora each drove in a run as UMass tagged SLU starter Lorena Floccari for four runs on three hits in the first.
The Minutewomen continued their assault on the scoreboard and chased Floccari from the game in the second after plating four more runs, the highlight being a three-run home run by Stacy Cullington.
The Billikens put runners on base in each of the first three innings, but were unable to capitalize off of UMass ace Brandice Balschmiter. She worked around singles from sophomore Rachel Heet and senior Allison Appenfeller and earned her 14th victory of the season with the complete-game shutout.
In game two, the Minutewomen again jumped on top early. Proctor lifted a sacrifice fly in the first, and Amanda Morin lined an RBI single as UMass notched a 2-0 lead through two innings. SLU starter Rosie Gonzalez blanked the league's top offensive team over the next three innings before the Minutewomen plated three run in the sixth on yet another Cullington three-run bomb.
Balschmiter had SLU's number again in game two, working all seven innings while striking out 12. She allowed just one hit in the contest, a second-inning single to SLU senior Jenna Renner.
The Billikens host UMKC in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at The Billikens Sports Center. They continue A-10 play with two games against La Salle on Friday and Saturday, and a doubleheader against Fordham next Sunday.
