Temple University Athletics
Temple University
Massachusetts
Softball Falls 9-0 at #20 Massachusetts in Atlantic 10 Action
5.7.10 | Softball
Marris goes 2-for-3 in loss
Box Score
AMHERST, Mass. – Junior Kristen Marris went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Temple softball team, but it wasn't enough as the 20th-ranked Massachusetts Minutewomen defeated the Owls 9-0 on Friday, May 7. The game was the first of a two-game series at UMass as TU plays its final weekend of regular-season softball with a berth in the Atlantic 10 playoffs still on the line.
The Massachusetts bats came out of the gates red-hot as they opened the game with five-straight hits, including home runs by Michelle Libby and Meghan Carta, to score five first-inning runs. After Carly Normandin led off the bottom of the first with a single up the middle, Libby crushed a 3-2 pitch over the fence in right center for her eighth home run of the season. Sarah Reeves then doubled down the left field line, followed by a Bettencourt RBI single down the right field line that made it 3-0. Carta then made it five-straight hits to start the game by hitting her a two-run shot to center field that gave the Minutewomen an early 5-0 lead.
The Minutewomen tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the third inning. Jessica Serio led off by being hit by a pitch, leading to Lauren Spoo coming into the game to relieve starter Marris. Spoo walked Kyllie Magill to put two on, and after a wild pitch advanced both runners, Rogers drove a ball to the gap in left center for a two run double that gave UMass a 7-0 lead.
The third-inning scoring explosion continued as Normandin reach on an error, and with two outs, Reeves walked to set up Bettencourt's single up the middle that brought in two more runs and put the Minutewomen on top 9-0.
Bailey Sanders issued a walk to start the top of the fifth inning, but after a strikeout, she got a ground ball back to the circle to start a 1-6-3 double play to end the game.
Temple left nine runners on base, including stranding the bases loaded in both the second and fourth innings.
Sara Plourde (34-5) worked the first three innings on the mound, allowing two hit and two walks while striking out six to increase her NCAA-lead and UMass single-season record total to 478. Sanders relieved Plourde to start the fourth inning. The senior finished off the shutout, striking out four while allowing one hit and two walks.
Marris (12-14) took the loss, going two innings, giving up five hits and six runs. Spoo threw the final two frames, allowing two hits and three runs while striking out two.
Temple (18-28, 7-10) and UMass (35-7-1, 14-0-1) will finish the two-game series with the second game beginning at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
