KB
Kathryn Bumila
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Class of 2018
  • Raynham, MA

Kathryn Bumila of Raynham, MA, and WPI Softball Concludes Historic Season at NCAA Division III Super Regional

2015 May 18

Kathryn Bumila and the WPI softball team concluded a historic season on Friday in the NCAA Division III Super Regionals.

The Engineers (34-11) set the program and school record for team wins in a single season en route to its first-ever NCAA Division III Championship tournament berth. The Engineers made the most of it by sweeping through the Williamstown Regional and sporting a 3-2 record on the national stage.

Super Regional Game Two Recap

Medford Super Regional Most Outstanding Pitcher Allyson Fournier (South Windsor, CT) tossed a two-hitter and struck out 12 as No. 1, and two-time defending champion, Tufts advanced to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship finals in Salem, VA with a 6-1 victory over WPI on Friday afternoon at Spicer Field.

The Jumbos now sport a 46-0 record while the Engineers complete their historic season with a 34-11 ledger.

Nina Murphy-Cook (Roseville, CA) broke up Fournier's perfect game bid with a hit to lead off the bottom of the seventh. She would steal second and advance to third on a miscue on the play. Biney followed with an RBI single down the left field line. The center fielder would end the game in scoring position as she stole second and moved to third on a miscue later in the frame.

Murphy-Cook's 57th steal of the season moved her into a tie for fourth all-time in Division III for swipes in a single-season. She took over the top spot in the NEWMAC record book with her 56th on Thursday.

WPI, playing as the home team, looked to make a statement early as Kelsey Saucier(Worcester, MA) struck out Michelle Cooprider (Hopkinton, MA), who went 4-for-4 with a leadoff home run for the hosts on Thursday, looking. After a walk, the Engineers got out of the inning with a fly out and an infield grounder.

Cooprider would be named the super regional's Most Outstanding Player.

Fournier picked up where she left off and tossed a 1-2-3 first inning with a pair of strikeouts.

In the second inning, Saucier rebounded from issuing a one-out walk by fanning her second batter of the day. Another free pass put a runner in scoring position; however, a fly out to Ama Biney (Worcester, MA) ended the threat.

The bottom of the frame, featured hard-hit line outs to the outfield by Katie Bumila (Raynham, MA) and RiAnna May (Westminster, CO) before Fournier logged her third punchout of the contest.

Cooprider had the upper hand in her second at-bat with a leadoff double to left field to open the third. She was promptly moved to third on a ground out by Carrie Copacino (Newton, MA). Bumila then fielded a grounder at first and tagged the batter while helping prevent Cooprider from scampering home on the play. While Raven Fournier (Springfield, MA) and Saucier battled, Cassie Ruscz (Wolcott, CT), who reached on a walk, swiped second to put a pair of Jumbos in scoring position. The at-bat, and half inning ended, on a fly out to Murphy-Cook in left.

Fournier struck out the side in the bottom of the third to run her K total to six.

The Engineers defense responded with a 1-2-3 frame of its own, which included Saucier's third, and final, strikeout of the game in the top of the fourth.

The Jumbos took the 1-0 advantage in the top of the fifth when Cooprider's RBI hit hopped just out of the reach Kristin Gallagher (Coventry, RI) and into left field. Cooprider made it to third once more on another ground out and ended up stranded following an infield popup to Jacquelyne DiTroia (Andover, MA) at second and a fly out to left. WPI later retired the Jumbos in order in the top of the sixth.

The bases were loaded with one out for Tufts in the top of the seventh. Caroline Medino (Pompton Lakes, NJ) relieved Saucier and induced a grounder that saw Gallagher and Lindsay Gurska (Revere, MA) team up to get the lead runner at the plate. Tufts then proceeded to tack on five insurance runs.

Cooprider accounted for three of Tufts five hits in on the day.

About Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Mass., WPI is one of the nation's first engineering and technology universities. Its 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. WPI's talented faculty work with students on interdisciplinary research that seeks solutions to important and socially relevant problems in fields as diverse as the life sciences and bioengineering, energy, information security, materials processing, and robotics. Students also have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the university's innovative Global Perspective Program. There are more than 40 WPI project centers throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.