LEESBURG, Fla. –  The University of Southern Maine Huskies dropped a pair of contest Sunday evening at Sleepy Hallow Field in Leesburg, Florida. USM fell to Coe College 7-2 in its first game of the day and then dropped a close 2-1 game to Bethel University in game number tow.
 
Due to weather challenges, the Huskies have played in three games in less than 24 hours.   
 
THE BASICS:
Game 1 - Records:
Coe College (3-4)
Southern Maine (0-2) 
Score: Coe 7, Southern Maine 2
 
Game – 2 Records: 
Southern Maine (0-3)
Bethel (5-2)
Score: Bethel 2, Southern Maine 1
 
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. Coe
Winning Pitcher:  CC, Ausenhus (2-2) 7.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 5 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: SM, Dory Kulis (0-1) 3.2 innings pitched, 6 earned runs, 6 hits, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts
 
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. Bethel
Winning Pitcher: B, Kayla Simacek (5-1), 7.0 innings pitched, 1 hit, 1 run, 0 earned, 2 walks, 14 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: SM, Megan Moulton (0-2), 4.1 innings pitched, 6 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 1 walk, six strikeouts
 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. COE:

• Coe scored two runs in the top of the first and added two more in the top of the third to lead Southern Maine 4-0.  The Huskies made it 4-1 in the bottom of the third with an RBI single from Kaitlyn Nelson (Guildhall, Vermont/White Mountains Regional).
• Coe came back with two more runs in the top of the fourth making it a 6-1 game. Coe took advantage of a single, an RBI ground out and two walks in the inning.  Heather Boeckenstedt had an RBI ground out for the Kohawks in the inning.
• In the sixth, USM made it 6-2 after junior Rona Scott (Beverly, Mass.) scored on misplayed ground ball, but it was the Huskies final run of the game. Scott reached safely with a sharply hit single to right field.
• Coe made it a 7-2 final with one more run in the seventh, on back-to-back doubles from Skyler Stookey and Shaylee Dodd. The Huskies went down in order in the home half of the seventh.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. BETHEL:

• Bethel took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when Allie Fauth reached on a two-out infield single, and then came around to score after stealing second and third before scoring an unearned run on a passed ball. 
• Southern Maine tied it up in the top of the fourth as Nelson reached on a bunt single, and used her speed on the basepath to come around to score on a throwing error on the same play. 
• The score remained unchanged until the bottom of the fifth when Fauth again put herself into scoring position with a one-out triple down the left field line before touching home plate after a wild pitch.
• USM could not get its bats going in the sixth or seventh as Bethel pitcher Kayla Simacek retired the next six batters she faced in order, including three by strikeout. Simacek finished the game with 14 strikeouts to earn the win.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Nelson hit .400 over the two games, going 2-for-5 with one run scored and an RBI.  
• Sophomore Belle Snyder (Epping, N.H.) who pitched 3.1 innings of relief against Coe, held her opponents to a .167 batting average.

 
UP NEXT:
Southern Maine faces Plattsburg (3:00 pm) and St. Norbert (5:15 pm) on Tuesday.