Boston College
Massachusetts
Meredith's Home Run Lifts Softball Over No. 22 UMass
May 01, 2001 | Softball
May 1, 2001
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Freshman Elyse Meredith's first career home run in the bottom of the eighth inning gave Boston College a 5-4 win over 22nd-ranked Massachusetts in extra innings on Tuesday. The Eagles held a 4-3 lead with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Minutemen tied the score to send the game into extra frames.
BC bounced on UMass pitcher Jennifer Hadley for three runs in the bottom of the first. Freshman Jacqui Goodchild singled over the shortstop's head to lead of the inning and Summer Jarratt stepped in for a double down the left field line. Cara Blumfield singled in both Goodchild and Jarratt, then came home on a Lisa Fischer bunt single.
UMass chipped away at the lead in the top of the fifth, posting one run off Eagle starter Kim Ryan. Emily Robustelli doubled to right center with two outs and came home on a Teri Rooney single to right field. BC squelched the rest of the threat and Ryan got Brandi Cross to pop up to third base to end the inning.
BC added another run in the bottom of the fifth for the 4-1 lead as Blumfield reached on a fielder's choice. Jen Asbury singled her in before the inning ended.
UMass started its comeback in the sixth inning, mounting two runs. With two outs, Ashley Bakken singled to put runners on first and third. Cherra Wheeler came home on an errant throw home and then Debbie Tomoguchi singled up the middle to plate Bakken and a 4-3 score.
The Minutemen tied the score with two outs in the seventh as Rooney crossed after a throw got away in attempt to get her out at third.
BC brought the heart of the order up in the seventh, but Hadley struck out two and forced a line out. In the eighth, Tekae Malandris, in for Ryan on the mound, sat down the Minutemen's first three batters and the Eagles four through six batter came up in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs, Meredith launched a shot to straight-away center field for the 240' bomb to win the game.
Ryan went 5.2 innings, striking out four and allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits. Malandris earned the win with two strikeouts, one run and no earned runs. Hadley pitched 7.2 innings for the complete game, striking out 10 with 10 hits and five earned runs.
BC improved to 27-24 overall and will next face Harvard in a doubleheader in Cambridge on Thursday, May 3 at 3:30 p.m.
