CLERMONT, Fla. – Sophomore
Lauren Merrill (Bethel, Maine/Oxford Hills) spun a seven-inning gem in the Huskies first win over the day, and the Huskies used timely hitting and smart baserunning in game two to earn a pair of wins in Tuesday evening at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla.
Merrill led USM to a 5-2 win over SUNY-Plattsburgh in the opener, and then the Huskies collected nine hit – three for extra bases – in game to en route to a 7-0 win over St. Norbert. The game was called in the sixth inning due to lightning.
THE BASICS:
Game 1 - Records:
Southern Maine (1-3)
Plattsburgh (1-4)
Score: Southern Maine 5 Plattsburgh 2
Game – 2 Records:
St. Norbert (0-7)
Southern Maine (2-3)
Score: Southern Maine 7, St. Norbert 0 (6 inn.)
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. Plattsburgh
Winning Pitcher: SM,
Lauren Merrill (1-0), 7.0 innings pitched, 2 hits, 2 runs, (0 earned), 1 walks, 5 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: P, Kristina Maggiacomo (1-1), 7.0 innings pitched, 7 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. St. Norbert
Winning Pitcher: SM,
Morgan Moulton (1-2), 4.0 innings pitched, 2 hits, 0 earned runs, 2 walks, 0 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: St. N, Baillie Thielen (0-1) 2.0 innings pitched, 5 hits, 5 earned runs, 2 walks, 0 strikeouts
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. Plattsburgh:
- Down 1-0 after an unearned run in the bottom of the third, Southern Maine came alive for five runs in top of the fifth, and held for the 5-2 win. Husky senior Samantha Hauck (Painted Post, N.Y./Corning Painted Post) tied the game up with an RBI double to center and sophomore Belle Snyder (Epping, N.H.) replaced Hauck on the base paths, advanced to third on an pinch hit single to left field from freshman Morgan Roast (Gorham, Maine) and then stole home for the go-ahead run.
- Junior Kaitlyn Nelson (Guildhall, Vermont/White Mountains Regional) had a sharply hit single that force an error and drove in a run and allowed another to score for a 4-1 Husky advantage. Junior Lauren Leidemann-Smith (South Berwick, Maine/Marshwood) closed the inning with an RBI ground out to give USM a 5-1 lead.
- USM gave up another unearned run in the sixth, Plattsburgh's Claire Palmer led off and reached on a fielding error. Moving up a base on a ground out, Palmer scored on an RBI double to center from Julia Golino. Merrill bounced back for USM getting the next batter via strikeout and then another ground out to end the inning.
- USM went down in order in the seventh, and Merrill worked her way around a hit batsmen and fielding error to earn the win getting three ground ball outs.
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. St Norbert:
- USM jumped on top of St. Norbert with four runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back snagging a 7-0 shutout win in six innings. Husky starter freshman Morgan Moulton (Bangor, Maine) earned the first win of her intercollegiate career giving up just two hits and a walk in four innings. Snyder relieved Moulton in the fifth and pitched two scoreless innings without yielding a walk or a hit.
- Junior Rona Scott (Beverly, Mass.) drove in three runs for the Huskies, including a two-run double down the right field line as part of USM's four-run first. Junior Hannah Shields (Buckfield, Maine) was 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and RBI. Shields had an RBI triple in the first.
- Nelson made it a 5-0 advantage in the second with an RBI single. Nelson was 1-for-1 with a run scored, stealing home in the first inning.
- In the fifth, USM made it 7-0. Sophomore Madison Day (Otisfield, Maine/Oxford Hills) had a double in the inning, while Scott had an RBI ground out to score Day.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Shields finished the two games 4-for-6 at the plate for USM, socring three runs and driving in one. Hauck was 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Nelson was 2-for-2 with four runs scored, two walks and an RBI. Me
- Husky pitchers kept their opponents to a combined .085 batting average allowing just four hits over two games.
UP NEXT:
Southern Maine play again Wednesday facing Lasell University (4:00 pm) and The College of New Jersey (6:15 pm). .
-cac-
