Offensive Eruption, Bats Lead Plymouth Softball

Plymouth, NH - Plymouth scored a combined 21 runs in their double-header against the University of Massachusetts Boston. Plymouth put up 11 runs in game one, coming back to win after letting a 10-run lead disappear, and put 10 runs on the board in game two to finish off the double-header and notch two Little East Conference wins.

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Game 1: PSU - 11 UMB - 10

The Panthers let a 10-run lead disappear, but held on to win the first half of their double-header on a walk-off error that plated Jackie Digman (junior; Burlington, MA) which erased all pain of letting the game almost get away from them.

The Panther bats came out on fire, putting up five runs in the first frame. Sam Hebert (junior; Manchester, NH) got things started with a RBI single to left. An UMass Boston error loaded the bases for Digman who came through with a grandslam to put four more runs on the board for a 5-0 lead in the first.

Plymouth picked up where they left off in the second. Vanessa Przybylo (freshman; Queensbury, NY) picked up a RBI single to push the lead to 6-0. Then, Digman did even more damage with a single to add another RBI to her game. The Panthers added three more runs in the third, and Plymouth was up 10-0 at the end of three and thought they had a blow out on hand.

The Beacons of UMass wouldn't go down without a fight. They ripped off seven runs in the fourth inning to drive Plymouth starter Nora Galvin (junior; Windham, NH) out of the game. Ali Keith (senior; Northfield, NH) came on in relief to get the Panthers out of the inning, but their lead had been cut to 10-7 after four.

After a quiet fifth inning, UMass Boston put two more runs on the board in the sixth to cut the lead to 10-9. Whitney Roberts (sophomore; Chocorua, NH) came in to pitch and got out of the inning. The Plymouth bats went down quietly in the bottom of the sixth, and they went into the seventh up 10-9.

With Roberts still on the mound, the Beacons finished their comeback, tying the game 10-10 on a RBI fielder's choice. After seeing their 10-run lead evaporate, Plymouth could have easily gone away. They didn't; Roberts got out of the inning and the Panthers went into the seventh needing just a run to win the game.

Digman led off the inning with a single. She stole second to get into scoring position. Shirley Butterfield (freshman; Atkinson, NH) was up next, and hit a ball  that was misplayed by the thirdbaseman and Digman was able to come around and score. It wasn't pretty, but Plymouth got the win.

Digman had the big game at the plate going 3-for-5 with a homerun and five RBIs. Hebert chipped in going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Bekah Jackson (junior; Nashua, NH) was on base all day going 4-for-5. Galvin got the start and had six strikeouts, zero walks, while allowing six hits, and seven runs (two earned) in 3.2 innings of work. Keith allowed five hits and two runs in 2 innings, and Roberts had two strikeouts, zero walks, while allowing two hits, and one run in 1.1 innings.

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Game 2: PSU - 10 UMB - 0 (5 innings)

Roberts pitched five scoreless innings, and the Plymouth offensive attacked picked up where they left off in game one, scoring 10 unanswered to secure the sweep and their second LEC victory of the afternoon.

Jackson got things started in the bottom of the first. She got on with a single to lead-off the inning. Then she stole second to get into scoring position. Calli DeGrace (senior; Plymouth, NH) followed with a two-run homerun, and Plymouth was out to an early 2-0 lead.

They added another run in the third. Jackson, again, led off with a single. This time, it was Taylor Mancini (junior; Gavensvoort, NY) driving her in with a RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0.

Plymouth would go on to put up seven runs in the fourth inning. Butterfield led off with a double, and was drove in by a Cynthia Barata (sophomore; New Fairfield, CT) RBI triple. Jenn Bove (senior; Medford, MA) followed with a RBI single, and stole second to get into scoring position. Jackson followed with a RBI single. After Jackson stole second, Mancini drove her in with a single to centerfield. Hebert and Przybylo joined the hits parade, both with back-to-back singles, scoring Mancini. Butterfield then reached first on an error by the UMass centerfielder, which allowed both Hebert and Przybylo to score. The inning ended with the Panthers up 10-0, a lead that wouldn't be threatened.

DeGrace led the offensive attack going 3-for-4 with a homerun and three RBIs. Hebert went 2-for-2 with a walk and two RBIs, and Barata went 2-for-3 with a triple and a RBI. Jackson chipped in going 2-for-3 with two steals and a RBI. Roberts was strong on the mound, going all 5 innings with one strikeout, one walk, while allowing five hits, and zero runs.

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After sweeping UMass Boston the Panthers' record stand at 22-13 overall, and they are currently in second place in the LEC with a 7-3 record after picking up the two conference wins.