KEENE, N.H. – Rookie pitchers Lauren Merrill (Bethel, Maine/Oxford Hills) and Belle Snyder (Epping, N.H.) each picked up wins and seniors Alexis Brown (Malden, Mass.) and Ashley Tinsman (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) combined to drive in nine runs as the University of Southern Maine Huskies swept the Keene State College Owls 10-4 and 8-2 in a non-conference softball doubleheader Sunday afternoon at the Owl Athletic Complex.
            USM tallied 26 hits over the two games, including eight for extra bases (five doubles, a triple and two home runs).  USM sweeps the season series with the Owls picking up the LEC doubleheader on Saturday at home 8-0, 10-1.
 
The Records:
Keene State (1-11)  
Southern Maine (20-1-1)
 
GAME ONE: Southern Maine , Keene State

• Freshman Lauren Merrill (Bethel, Maine/Oxford Hills) picked up her fourth win of the season allowing four runs (two earned) on 10 hits. Merrill did not issue a walk and struck out three in a strong performance.
• The Huskies picked up 12 hits in the win led by two hits each from senior Erin Martin (Biddeford, Maine), Alexis Brown (Malden, Mass.), and sophomore Rona Scott (Beverly, Mass.). Brown had three RBI, while senior Ashley Tinsman (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) and Scott each had two.
• USM started early as Martin ripped a solo home run to lead off the game and give USM a 1-0 lead.  Two batters later, Brown made it 3-0 with a two-run home run to center field.  Martin's home run was her first of 2021 while Brown's was her second.
• KSC came right back in the home half of the inning, scoring two runs on an RBI single up the middle from sophomore Olivia Albert (Old Town, Maine).   
• After a quiet second inning, USM struck for seven runs on seven hits in the bottom of the third.  After a Tinsman walk to lead off, Brown cranked an RBI double to right center to score the first run of the inning. Scott and Merrill went for back-to-back doubles with Scott driving in a run and Merrill two for a 7-2 lead.  A pair of defensive miscues loaded had two runners on for USM, and Tinsman returned to the plate and cleared the bases with a triple to center and a 10-2 lead.
• Facing the eight-run rule, KSC kept the game alive with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Albert had an RBI single to center, while Amy Blanchette had an RBI ground out.
• Merrill worked her way around a two-out double in the sixth, and then sat KSC in order in the seventh for the win.
• KSC's Albert was 3-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Owls.  Sophomore Grace Hallett (Dover, N.H.)  was 2-for-3.
• Albert, the Owls' starting pitcher, took the loss allowing eight runs (earned) on seven hits and three walks in 2.1 innings.

 
GAME TWO: Southern Maine 8, Keene State 2

• Tinsman, Brown and Scott each drove in two runs to pace the Huskies' offense in game two. 
• USM jumped ahead early again to take control scoring five runs in the top of the first. Brown started the scoring with a two-run double, and then came around to score on a double from Day.  Scott made it 5-0 with a two RBI single up the middle to bring home Day and Brown.
• Albert continued to generate runs for KSC with a sacrifice fly RBI in the home half of the first to make it 5-1, but USM would add two more runs in the third on sacrifice fly RBI from junior Kaitlyn Nelson (Guildhall, Vermont/White Mountains Regional) and an RBI single from Tinsman to make it 7-1.
• Tinsman drove in the Huskies' eighth and final run of the game in the fifth with a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Martin who singled in the inning.
• KSC took one back in the top of the sixth. With one out, junior Meghan Moran (Cherry Valley, Mass) doubled to left center and then touched home on a two-out RBI double from Blanchette, but Huskies' rookie Belle Snyder (Epping, N.H.) got the final out on a pop up to end the threat.
• In the seventh, Snyder worked her way around a double and a fielding error to secure her second win of the season. Going 7.0 innings she allowed two earned runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out three.
• KSC starter freshman Karissa Kenyon (Wells, Maine) was saddle with the loss allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits and a walk in 0.1 innings of work.

 
Inside The Stats:

• Brown was 4-for-7 with two doubles, three runs scored, while Tinsman added four RBI and two runs scored.  Nelson went 4-for-6 over two games with three runs scored and an RBI. Scott was 3-for-7 with three RBI.
• As a team USM hit .382 off of the KSC pitchers over the doubleheader. 
• With four RBI in today's doubleheader, Tinsman now has 36 in 2021 and is five off of tying the USM single-season record of 41 held by Katie Davis set in 2010.

Up Next:
            Southern Maine hosts Plymouth State on Tuesday (3:00 pm) in a Little East Conference doubleheader. Fans are not allowed at USM Athletic contests, but fans can follow online at southernmainehuskies.com and littleeast.tv/southernmaine  KSC hosts Castleton in a non-conference doubleheader on Monday (3:00 pm).