Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 WALTHAM, Mass. – Freshman Amber Kelly (Berwick, Maine/Noble) pitched a four-hit gem to lead the second-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 4-1 win over the third-seeded Albertus Magnus College Falcons in the second semifinal game of the 2015 ECAC Division III New England Softball Championship hosted at Brandeis University. Southern Maine advanced into the winner's bracket with its 4-1 win over AMC. In their second game, the Huskies fell to the top-seeded Brandeis University Judges 8-0 in five innings.
With the split Southern Maine stands out 24-19 and will face AMC tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. in an elimination game. The winner will advance to play Brandeis at 1:00 p.m. in the championship. Brandeis will need just one win to secure the title, while its opponent will have to secure to victories. Brandeis is 20-14, while AMC stands at 26-14. AMC stayed alive with a 2-1 win over Suffolk in an elimination game.
GAME ONE: Southern Maine 4, Albertus Magnus 1
After allowing a lead off home run, Kelly held the Falcons to just three more hits while fanning nine batters to lead her team to its first postseason tournament victory since its 2004 ECAC appearance and a 1-0 win over Coast Guard (May 8, 2004).
AMC's Gillian Fortier spotted the Falcon's a 1-0 lead in the first at bat of the game drilling her team-leading fifth home run of the season. AMC looked to have a big inning as its second hitter reached on an infield error and Carli Matrisian singled to center field, but Kelly settled in to get out of the inning with any further damage getting the third out on a strike out.
Southern Maine went down in order in its first at bats, before manufacturing a run in the bottom of the second to knot the game up at 1-1. With one down and a runner on, sophomore Danni Humphrey (Walnut Creek, Calif./Northgate) singled and advanced to second on an error moving junior Mary Caron (Lewiston, Maine/Dominic's) to third. Caron then came around to score on a fielder's choice and an error on a grounder from sophomore Samantha Crosman (South Berwick, Maine/Marshwood).
Kelly kept AMC off the scoreboard in the top of the third and the Huskies surged ahead 3-1 with a pair of runs. Kelly led off the inning with a double to center field and then took third on a wild pitch. AMC got the next batter out, but senior Kristen Duross (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) capitalized for Huskies with the second homerun of the game connecting on her second home run of the season for the lead.
Southern Maine scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single from LEC Rookie of the Year freshman Courtney Davis (Woburn, Mass.). After an out, freshman Taylor Lux (Arundel, Maine/Thornton Academy) smacked a double to center field. With another out, Davis stepped to the dish and collected her team-leading 38th RBI of the season. Davis is now tied for second in the USM single-season record with former Husky All-American Julie Plant.
With the 4-1 lead in hand, Kelly stayed in control allowing just two base runners (one by error) the rest of the way, while striking out the side in the sixth.
Game Two: Brandeis 8, Southern Maine 0 (5 innings)
Brandeis' Nicole Cote allowed just two hits and struck out eight batters in a dominant performance to help lead the Judges to an 8-0 (5-inning) win over the Huskies. Cote received strong offensive support from Cori Colman was 1-for-2 at the plate with four RBI. Anya Kamber was 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored, while Amanda Shore was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Kamber and Coleman each had doubles.
Southern Maine's sophomore Emily York (Belgrade, Maine/Messalonksee) and freshman Chantal Bisson (Lisbon, Maine) were responsible for both of the Huskies' hits. Kelly, who earned the complete game win in game won, took the loss in game two. Kelly pitched three innings allowing four earned runs on eight hits. Cote picked up her second win of the day firing a five-inning shutout.
Quarterfinals – Wednesday, May 6, 2015
No. 1 Brandeis University (19-14) – First Round bye
No. 2 University of Southern Maine (23-18) – First Round bye
No. 3 Albertus Magnus College (25-13) vs. No. 6 Newbury College (20-14) – 7-4
No. 4 Suffolk University (25-14) vs. No. 5 Becker College (20-15) –Suffolk 3-2
Semifinals – Saturday, May 9, 2015 at Brandeis University
Game # 1 - No. 1 Brandeis (19-14) vs. winner of No. 4 Suffolk (25-16) – Brandeis – 10-5
Game # 2 - No. 2 Southern Maine (24-18) vs. winner of No. 3 Albertus Magnus (25-14) – USM 4-2
Game # 3 – No. 4 Suffolk (25-15) vs. No. 3 Albertus Magnus (26-14) – Albertus Magnus 2-1
Game # 4 – No. 1 Brandeis vs. No. 2 USM – 4:00 pm
Championship – Sunday, May 10, 2015 at Brandeis University
Game # 5 - Loser of game 4 vs. No. 4 Albertus Magnus – 11:00 am
Game # 6 - Winner of game 4 vs. winner of game 5 – 1:00 pm
Game # 7 - Winner of game 6 vs. loser of game 6 (if necessary) – 3:00 pm
**Double Elimination Format
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