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Box Score 2 GORHAM, Maine – The University of Southern Maine Huskies softball team opened its 2013 season with a pair of losses falling to the Elmhurst College Bluejays 14-0 in five innings and the Wesleyan University (Conn.) Cardinals 8-1 Thursday morning in Clermont, Fla.
With the pair of losses, Southern Maine is 0-2. Wesleyan improved to 11-3 with the win, while the Bluejays earned their third straight victory to improve to 3-0.
In the opener, Elmhurst jumped on top of the Huskies exploding for 13 first-inning run en route to the 14-0 win. The Bluejays used seven hits, five walks and exploited three Huskies' field errors for their bloated first-inning run total. Sophomore Katie Boals led the Elmhurst charge with a pair of hits for three RBI, including a two-run home run to center field. After the first inning, the Huskies' settled in giving up just one more run in the bottom of the third on a home run from junior Clare Bukowski (Berwyn, Ill./Morton).
Elmhurst's Boals earned the win in the circle holding USM to just two hits while striking out seven. Southern Maine senior Jesse Hutchins (Sebago, Maine/Lake Region) took the loss yielding seven runs (six earned) on three hits and three walks in 0.1 innings pitched. Freshman Lauren Haberern (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh) finished the game allowing seven runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks.
In the second game, junior Alex Sarkowsky (Encino, Calif.) was 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs batted in to lead the Cardinals to an 8-1 win. The Cardinals started off hot in the top of the first plating four runs on two hits and one USM error on their way to grabbing their ninth consecutive win.
The Huskies scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the third as sophomore Kristen Duross (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) singled in senior Jessica Hayden (Madison, Maine).
Wesleyan junior Laura Getchell (Raymond, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) earned the win in relief. Getchell pitched 4.1 innings and did not allow a run while giving up just two hits and striking out nine batters. USM senior Stefanie Stockwell (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) took the loss giving up three earned runs in seven innings. Stockwell yielded five hits and four walks while striking out seven.
Southern Maine returns to action on Saturday. The Huskies will face Amherst (9:00 a.m.) and St. Benedict (11:00 a.m.).
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