With the sweep, Southern Maine extends its win streak to six games and improves to 13-7 overall.  Bates College suffers its sixth consecutive loss to fall to 1-10 overall.  The Huskies' six-game winning streak is the longest since the 2004 season when the Huskies were unbeaten in 14 consecutive games (13-0-1).    

            Husky freshman Courtney Davis (Woburn, Mass.) was outstanding at the plate in both games, driving in 11 runs on a combined 6-for-8 effort with five runs scored.  Davis was the Huskies' offensive catalyst in the second game, with a 3-for-4 effort including a pair of home runs to net six RBI.  Davis' six RBI is tied for the USM single game record, joining her with four other players who have had six RBI in a game, most recently done by Anita Dixon against St. Lawrence University (March 21, 2008).

Game One:

            In the opener, freshman Erika Millett (Whitefield, N.H./White Mountains Regional) allowed just one earned run on four hits and a walk to claim her sixth win of the season.  Millett, who struck out six, was staked a three-run lead before even taking to the circle as the Huskies' scored runs early. 

            Davis' two-run single in the top of the first highlighted a three-run top of the first for the Huskies, who combined for 12 hits in five innings.  Bates made it a 3-1 game in the home half of the inning as  senior Kelsey Freedman (Falmouth, Maine) had an RBI double to left centerfield, but it was the lone run and extra-base hit that Millett would allow the rest of the game.

            USM added two more runs in the top of the second, led by an RBI triple from Davis and then added another two runs in the top of the fourth to make it a 7-1 game in favor of the Huskies.  Senior Kristen Duross (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) collected her second RBI of the game with a fielder's choice ground out, while sophomore Emily York (Belgrade, Maine/Messalonskee) drove in a run with an RBI single to center field.   

            Millett remained in control for the Huskies, allowing just three base runners – none of whom advance past second base – through the third inning before retiring the side in order in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of strikeouts and a fly out to left field.

            The Huskies' secured the five-inning win in the top of the fifth.  After a lead off walk was issued to sophomore Allison Pillar (Hollis, Maine/Bonny Eagle) was followed by back-to-back singles from freshman Taylor Lux (Arundel, Maine/Thornton Academy) and junior Mary Caron (Lewiston, Maine/St. Dominic Academy), Davis collected her fourth and fifth RBI of the game with a two-run single.  Davis' RBIs made it 9-1 USM, before freshman Amber Kelly (Berwick, Maine/Noble) drove in the final run of the game with an RBI single to right field.

            Ahead 10-1 heading to the bottom of the fifth, Millett got three consecutive outs, on two grounders and a strike out to secure the win. Bates' Freedman took the loss allowing nine earned runs on 12 hits and six walks. 

Game Two:

            After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, Southern Maine scored 16 unanswered runs on 12 hits to earn the sweep.  Kelly earned the win in the circle allowing three earned runs on eight hits and a walk. Kelly was strong in her sixth win of the season setting a season and career-high with nine strikeouts.

            Bates took the 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first collecting half of its hits in the game off of Kelly.  Freshman Emma Schiller (Natick, Mass.) led off with a single to left field, before Freedman smacked her second RBI double of the afternoon to make it 1-0 in favor of the Bobcats.  One batter later, senior Kira Shaikh (Manchester, Conn./Watkinson School) cranked out a two-run home run to right center field, plating Freeman to make it 3-0 for Bates. Following Shaikh's home run, Kelly settled in and picked up her second and third strikeout to end the inning.

            Southern Maine took two runs, both unearned, back in the top of the second as Bates committed a pair of costly errors, and then took the lead 4-3, with two more runs in the top of the third. With one out and one on after a single from Caron, Davis collected her first two RBI of the game with a home run to right centerfield.   

The Huskies' continued to roll in the top of the fourth adding three more runs as Davis' bat kept producing runs. This time Davis rocketed a three-run home run to right center to make it 7-3, collecting her third, fourth and fifth RBI of the game.

            In control, the Huskies shut the door on the game scoring nine runs on six hits and two Bates' errors for the 16-3 final.  Pillar, Caron, Davis each had RBI singles in the inning, while Duross had a two run single.  York capped the Huskies' scoring, knocking out USM's third home run of the game, with a three-run shot to left center field. 

            Kelly sealed the win in the bottom of the fifth battling back from an infield error and a single to retire the next three batters in order.  Bates' senior Brenna Callahan (Milton, Mass.) allowed 12 earned runs on 12 hits and six walks in the loss.  She struck out five.

Southern Maine is scheduled to host Bowdoin College on Wednesday (3:30 p.m.) in a non-conference doubleheader.  Bates hosts Bowdoin on Tuesday (3:00 p.m.) in a NESCAC doubleheader. 

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