Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Florida Atlantic
UMass
Owls Top Minutewomen in Tournament Season Finale
3/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 19, 2006
BOCA RATON, FL - The Florida Atlantic University softball team pushed two runs across the plate in the top of the seventh inning to ward off Massachusetts 4-3 on Sunday in the fifth-place game at the 2006 FAU Parents' Weekend Tournament at FAU Softball Stadium.
Senior Jessica Sachs (Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.) delivered the big blow for Florida Atlantic (12-17) with a two-run triple in the seventh. Her blast plated pinch runner Christine Houghtaling (Miami, Fla.) and junior Jenna Lopez (Orangeburg, N.Y.).
Houghtaling was aboard in the seventh for sophomore Charlotte Baird (Hendersonville, Tenn.), who reached via a one-out walk. Lopez, the batter behind Baird, was hit by a pitch.
The Owls had tied the score in the fifth on unearned runs scored by sophomore Lauren Crandall (DeLand, Fla.) and freshman Amy Bukovich (Boca Raton, Fla.). Crandall and Bukovich opened the inning with singles.
Crandall then came home off the bat of sophomore Melissa Moore (Miami, Fla.). Sachs picked up her first RBI of the day with a single to drive in Lopez.
Junior Tara Grady (Prescott, Ariz.) pitched three innings of relief and allowed one unearned run in the bottom of the seventh to move to 1-0 on the year. UMass counterpart Brandice Balschmiter fell to 8-5 after allowing four runs and striking out seven with four walks.
Sachs finished the day with two hits and three RBIs. Florida Atlantic returns to action on Friday with its first conference doubleheader of the year against Campbell at 6:00 p.m. at FAU Softball Stadium.
Friday, March 17th
Game 1: UT-Chattanooga 3, Michigan State 2
Game 2: Michigan State 3, Connecticut 1
Game 3: North Carolina 3, Connecticut 2
Game 4: Massachusetts 4, North Carolina 0
Game 5: UT-Chattanooga 3, Florida Atlantic 2
Game 6: Florida Atlantic 10, Massachusetts 7
Saturday, March 18th
Game 7: Michigan State 5, North Carolina 3
Game 8: Massachusetts 2, Michigan State 1
Game 9: UT-Chattanooga 4, Massachusetts 3 (8 innings)
Game 10: Connecticut 6, UT-Chattanooga 4
Game 11: Connecticut 2, Florida Atlantic 0
Game 12: North Carolina 2, Florida Atlantic 1
Sunday, March 19th
5th Place: Florida Atlantic 4, Massachusetts 3
3rd Place: North Carolina 5, Connecticut 1
Championship: Michigan State 5, UT-Chattanooga 2
