Sunday, May 18, 1997

Amherst, Mass.-- Host UMass defeated Colorado State in back-to-back games to claim the NCAA Northeast Region Softball crown Sunday and advance to the College World Series next week in Oklahoma City, Okla.

UMass, the second seed in the region, beat Boston College in an elimination game Sunday morning, setting up the title showdown with the top-seeded Rams. Colorado State had earned a spot in the regional finals with first- and second-round wins over Brown and UMass, respectively.

UMass won the first game with Colorado State, 3-1, behind the five-hit pitching of Danielle Henderson. She allowed one run and struck out eight. UMass scored single runs in the first, fifth, and sixth innings off Rams' ace Nikki Johnson.

Johnson, the WAC's Most Valuable Player in 1997, allowed 10 in six innings, while striking out eight. Johnson beat UMass, 2-0, Saturday to push the Rams into the regional finals.

Colorado State scored its only run in the fifth when Jen Buford singled home Robin Hamilton, running at second base for Michele Johnson, who had doubled.

In the second game, with the winner earning one of eight spots in the CWS, Colorado State scored twice in the first inning to back the pitching of starter Erin Bennett. Buford singled and scored on shortstop Sarah Fredstrom's single. Fredstrom came arounld to score on Stephanie Norton's base hit.

Bennett, seeing her first tournament action in the regionals, allowed six hits and two unearned runs before giving way to Johnson in the seventh. UMass scored twice in the bottom of the seven, aided by a Colorado State error, to tie the game. Mandy Galas' base hit in the eight off Johnson scored Tracey Osier with the game winner, sending the Minutewomen to the world series.

Johnson, who finished the year 33-7 on the mound for the Rams, took the loss aqfter allowing three hits and one earned run in 1 2/3 innigns of work. She struck out three. Henderson, who pitched three complete games Sunday to lead UMass to the title, was named the Northeast Regional MVP.