BIDDEFORD, Maine   –  Junior P Erin Lyons (Salem, N.H.) and senior P Amber Zablowsky (Rochester, Mass./Old Rochester Regional) each fired their way to shut out victories to lead the University of New England Nor'easters to a doubleheader sweep of the University of Southern Maine Huskies in non-conference softball action Tuesday afternoon at Claude Dubois Field in Biddeford, Maine.

            Lyons earned the 5-0 win in the opener and Zablowsky took a 2-0 decision in the second game as the Nor'easters improved to 11-5 on the season.  The Huskies fall to 2-12 overall suffering their eighth consecutive loss.

            Lyons held the Husky bats to just two hits over seven innings to earn the win.  Lyons had six strikeouts and yielded for walks to improve to 4-2 on the season.  Lyon's battery counterpart, junior C Ashley Gott (Winterport, Maine/Hampden Academy) led the UNE offense on a 2-for-4 effort at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored.  Gott's run scoring double in the top of the third inning helped start a three-run rally for the Nor'easter to solidify the win. 

            Southern Maine senior P Sarah Deroche (Portland, Maine/Deering) pitched well in the loss, allowing three earned runs on nine hits and three walks over seven innings.  Deroche struck out six batters in the loss, but was hurt by four Southern Maine errors.

            In the second game, Zablowsky came out the winner on a well-pitched game on both sides of the score sheet.  The senior scattered five hits over seven innings of work and did not give up a walk, while collecting a pair of strikeouts, improving to 4-2 on the season. 

            USM freshman P Samantha Morse (South China, Maine/Erskine Academy) held the Nor'easters to just four hits and two earned runs in the loss.  She struck out six batters and gave up two walks in the loss.

            UNE scored one run in the top of the first inning and added an insurance run in the top of the sixth on a wild pitch.  In the first inning, after a single by Gott and a USM fielding error to advance her to second, sophomore 2B Erin Grover (Biddeford, Maine) cranked out a triple to right-center field to score the only run the Nor'easters would need in the game.

            The Huskies threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning as sophomore C Katie Davis (Woburn, Mass.) led off the inning with a double to left-center field and advanced to third with one out following a single through the left side from senior DH Melissa Caiazzo (Portland, Maine/Deering). But, Zablowsky continued to be effective in the circle retiring the next two batters she faced in order on a pair of infield plays.

            Southern Maine travels to Husson University for a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday (3:30 p.m.).  UNE travels to Weston, Mass. for a Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader against Regis (Mass.) College.