May 10, 2008

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Winning their fourth consecutive title and NCAA Tournament automatic bid, the top-seeded Massachusetts Minutewomen (39-11) shutout the Charlotte 49ers 3-0 Saturday afternoon in the final day of action at the 2008 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship at Charlotte's Phillips Softball Complex. Charlotte, the third seed, advanced to the championship game after rallying past fourth-seeded Fordham (36-30) 2-1 in the rescheduled ninth game of the tournament.

"It was hard to get to the championship game," Massachusetts head coach Elaine Sortino said. "I'm glad for our players and some of our young kids really stepped up today. Brandice Balschmiter had a great pitching performance."

With the win, Sortino picked up her 20th A-10 softball tournament championship. The win gives Massachusetts 14th championship in the last 15 years and 20th of 24 all-time conference tournament titles.

Balschmiter (28-6), who was named Most Outstanding Player for the tournament, held Charlotte to three hits in seven complete innings in the circle, striking out 10 of 24 batters and walking none. The Massachusetts defense allowed the 49ers to reach past first base only once, coming in the top of the fourth with back-to-back singles from Serena Smith and Jaime West. For Charlotte, the tandem of Katy Hackett, moving to 16-17 on the season, and Gina Allen gave up three runs on five hits, three errors and two walks.

The Minutewomen were led on the offensive end by designated player and all-tournament selection Lindsay Maroney, who tallied one RBI on a team-high two hits in the contest, while all-tournament selection Sarah Reeves, Audrey Boutin and Carly Normandin each put up one. For Charlotte, all-tournament second baseman Sarah Malene, all-tournament outfielder Serena Smith and Jaime West collected one hit apiece.

Massachusetts took the game in the fourth inning, driving in its three unanswered runs on four hits. After Whitney Mollica led off the inning with a pop-up to the shortstop, Samantha Salato reached on a walk, pushed to second by a Reeves single through the left side before coming home on a double to centerfield from Maroney. With two outs, both Reeves and Maroney crossed the plate on Boutin double up the middle. The Minutewomen collected their third consecutive double in the next at-bat when Carly Normandin nearly scored Boutin on a rocket to left field, but Charlotte outfielder Emily Forbes combined with West, third baseman Jenny Rumbles and Hackett for the 7-2-5-1 out to end the offensive attack.

In the earlier play-in game, Rumbles drove in the game-winning run with one out in the bottom of the seventh Hackett to collect the win in relief for starter all-tournament selection Emily Jeffery, who posted six strikeouts in her six innings in the circle.

Charlotte scattered seven hits in the contest, two coming from Smith and one each from Malene, Williams, Forbes, Keri Palma and Tenaya Tucker. Fordham's four hits, a stark contrast to its 19-hit performance against St. Bonaventure Friday evening, were split between all-tournament selection Meghan Shager, Melissa Andrews, Samantha Pellechio and Megan Waldron.

After five scoreless innings, in which lead-off batter Malene nearly scored for Charlotte in the bottom of the first before being thrown out at home, the 49ers broke open scoring when Williams scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a single to first base. Smith, who followed Williams with a single through the right side, reached third but was unable to cross the plate for another run after three consecutive outs.

Fordham responded in the top of the seventh when Pellechio, who reached on a single to left field before advancing to third on a fly ball to centerfield from Erin Fisher, was brought home for the unearned run when Andrews reached with two-outs on an infield error. The 49ers would make quick work in the bottom of the inning, though, when Palma, who hit a double to left center to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a wild pitch, would cross the plate off a Rumbles sacrifice fly to centerfield.

2008 ATLANTIC 10 ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Brandice Balschmiter - Massachusetts, Pitcher (Most Outstanding Player)

Sarah Reeves - Massachusetts, First Base

Sarah Malene - Charlotte, Second Base

Whitney Williams - Massachusetts, Shortstop

Meghan Shager - Fordham, Outfield

Whitney Williams - Charlotte, Outfield

Lindsay Maroney - Massachusetts, Designated Player

Serena Smith - Charlotte, Outfield

Mary Beth Puccio - Fordham, Designated Player

Allison Twaroski - Fordham, Pitcher/Third Base

Emily Jeffery - Charlotte, Pitcher