GORHAM, Maine  – Freshman Hannah Shields (Buckfield, Maine) was 3-for-5 with five RBI overt two games and senior Alexis Brown (Malden, Mass.) spun a six-inning gem in game two as the University of Southern Maine Huskies swept a non-conference softball doubleheader from Plymouth State University Panthers Tuesday afternoon at the USM Softball Stadium.
           Southern Maine has won 12 in a row and now has 22 wins in 24 games at 22-1-1. Off to the program's best start, the Huskies' 2004 team which has a school record 33 wins was 20-3-1 through 24 games. 
 
The Records:
Plymouth State (9-7)
Southern Maine (22-1-1)
 
GAME ONE: Southern Maine 6, Plymouth State 5

• Shields and sophomore Rona Scott (Beverly, Mass.) each drove in a pair of runs as part of a pivotal six-run third inning.
• USM fell behind early to the Panthers as freshman Alexis Michon (Montville, Conn.) cranked an RBI double to left field, and junior Emily Picard (Berlin, N.H.) had an RBI single to hand PSU a 2-0 lead.  The Panthers had three consecutive hits to start the game including an lead off single from junior Lauren Archambault (Rehoboth, Mass.).
• USM trailed PSU until the third and scored all six of its runs as unearned as PSU had a costly fielding error with two outs and the bases loaded. Senior Erin Martin (Biddeford, Maine) and junior Kaitlyn Nelson (Guildhall, Vermont/White Mountains Regional) each had singles and senior Ashley Tinsman (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) drew a walk to load the bases.
• Both Nelson and Martin came around to score on the error to tie the game. A walk from freshman Madison Day (Otisfield, Maine/Oxford Hills) drew a walk to load the bases again, before Scott singled to center making it 4-2, and Shields tripled to the right field gap for ta 6-2 USM lead.
• The score remained the same until the Panthers made a push an equalizer in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs on four hits.  Michon had a fielder's choice RBI, Picard had a ground out RBI and sophomore Sam McCann (Berlin, N.H.) stroked an RBI double to left, scoring Michon.  With the tying run at second, USM was able to get a ground out to second to end the game.
• Graduate student Kirsten Pelletier (West Gardiner, Maine/Messalonskee) earned her eighth win of the season to improve to 8-0.  Pelletier gave up five earned runs on eight hits and three. She struck out three. 
• PSU freshman Nicole LeBrun (Concord, N.H.) was tagged with the loss allowing six unearned runs ton six hits and two walks in 2.2 innings pitched.  Freshman Jersey Strum (Somersworth, N.H.) pitched the final 3.1 innings. She did not allow a hit and gave up two walks.

 
GAME TWO: Southern Maine 8, Plymouth State 0 (6 inning)

• Brown moved to 8-0 holding PSU to four hits and three walks in 6.0 innings, while striking out seven.  It was her third win via shut out of the season.
• Day highlighted a 12-hit Husky attack, going 3-for-4, including a triple, scoring three runs and driving in two.  Shields was 2-for-2 with three RBI, and sophomore Lauren Leidemann-Smith (South Berwick, Maine/Marshwood) was 2-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI.
• USM scored two in the bottom of the second on Day's RBI triple, and an RBI single from Leidemann-Smith.
• Shields and Scott each had RBI singles in the fourth as USM lead 4-0.
• USM tacked on three runs in the bottom of the fifth.  Leidemann-Smith had an RBI single to left, and Shields drove in two more slotting a single through the right side. 
• Day ended the game in the sixth driving in the crucial eighth run on an RBI fielder's choice grounder.  

 
Up Next:

• Southern Maine hosts No. 5 Eastern Connecticut on Friday (2:30 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
• Plymouth State hosts UMass Boston on Saturday (1:00 pm) in a Little East Conference doubleheader.