Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 GORHAM, Maine – Senior Stefanie Stockwell (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) and sophomore Kristen Duross (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) each hit home runs in support of strong pitching effort from senior Jesse Hutchins (Sebago, Maine/Lake Region) to help the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a non-conference softball doubleheader split with the Bates College Bobcats. Southern Maine defeated Bates 5-4 in the opener and then fell 5-2 in eight innings in the second game.
With the split Southern Maine improves to 6-24 on the season. The 5-4 win in the opener marks the first win for the Huskies over Bates in the previous six games in the series. Earning the win in the nightcap, Bates improves to 7-11.
Hutchins earned the win for USM in the opener scattering six hits and two walks over seven innings while allowing one earned run. She struck out eight batters. Bates' senior Caroline Gattuso (North Reading, Mass.) took the loss allowing four earned runs on five hits and a walk. Gattuso had five strikeouts.
Stockwell led off the Huskies' bottom of the first with her team-high third home run of the season with a solo shot to left field to spot USM a 1-0 lead. Stockwell drove in one of the Huskies' two runs in the bottom of the second and score their second, stroking a two-out triple to score freshman Nicole Nutter (Westbrook, Maine). Nutter kept the Huskies alive in the inning drawing one of her three walks of the doubleheader. Stockwell came around to score on a Bates' fielding error.
With Hutchins not allowing a Bates' hitter to advance past second through the top of the fifth inning, USM took its 3-0 lead into the home half, tacking on a pair of insurance runs. The Huskies' continued to produce runs with two outs as senior Katie Davis (Woburn, Mass.) connected for a two-out single to left center and then came around to score easily on Duross' first collegiate home run. Duross's home run easily cleared the Huskies' centerfield fence and bounced off the scoreboard for a 5-0 lead.
Bates rallied in the sixth for three runs led by RBI singles from sophomore Kelsey Freedman (Falmouth, Maine) and freshman Alex Eliopoulos (Akron, Ohio). Bates scored three runs, two unearned, on three hits while capitalizing on a Huskies' fielding error.
The Huskies' were silent in the bottom of the sixth as Gattuso sat the Huskies' 7-8-9 batters down in order as Bates trailed 5-3 headed into the seventh. Bates' senior Mary Lewis (Gardiner, Maine) led off the inning with a single and then stole second to set herself up in scoring position. After a ground out to move Lewis to third, Gattuso drove Lewis in on an RBI ground out for a 5-4 USM lead with two out. Freedman reached with a single in Bates' next at bat before Hutchins bounced back to end the game with her eighth strike out.
In the second game both teams received solid pitching efforts with Bates' Freedman coming out on top for the win. Freedman fired eight strong innings allowing two runs on seven hits and four walks, while striking out eight. Stockwell was the hard luck loser allowing four earned runs in eight inning on eight hits and three walks. Stockwell also recorded eight strikeouts.
With the game tied at 1-1 after seven full innings, Bates scored four runs in the top of the eight to earn the win. With a runner place on second per extra inning rules, Lewis successfully sacrified sophomore Brenna Callahan (Milton, Mass.) to third with a bunt before senior AnnaMarie Martino (Plymouth, Minn.) drilled a double down the left field line for a 2-1 Bates lead. Freedman followed with a single down the left field line to score Martino. A single by Gattuso moved had runners at first and second for the Bobcats with one out, before the Huskies got a pop out for the second out of the inning.
With two outs, Bates tacked on two more runs and increased its lead to 5-1 on an RBI singles from freshman Karen Lockhart (East Greenwich, R.I.) and sophomore Alayna Garbarino (Reading, Mass.) before Stockwell ended the inning with a line out.
In the home half of the eight, Nutter drove in senior Cara Radino (Franklin, N.J./Wallkill Regional) to trim the deficit to 5-2 with two outs and the Huskies had runners on first and second but Gattuso got the strike out to end the game.
Southern Maine travels to St. Joseph's (Maine) College on Thursday (5:30 pm.) for a non-conference doubleheader. Bates College hosts Bowdoin College on Friday (4 p.m.) in conference action.
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