GORHAM, Maine  – Sophomore Lauren Merrill (Bethel, Maine/Oxford Hills) earned a 2-1 win in the first game of a non-conference doubleheader firing seven solid innings, allowing just one run on three hits and three walks as the University of Southern Maine Huskies split with the Colby College Mules in softball action Monday night at USM Softball Stadium. USM won game one 2-1 and fell 7-2 in the second game.
 
THE BASICS:
Records:
Colby (16-11)
Southern Maine (14-13)
 
Pitching Game 1 – USM 2, Colby 1
Winning Pitcher: SM, Lauren Merrill (7-6), 7.0 IP, 1 run, 3 hits, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher:  Colby, Sam Ahlholm (5-2), 6.0 IP, 2 runs (1 earned), 7 hits, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts
 
Pitching Game 2 – Colby 7, USM 2
Winning Pitcher: Colby, Amanda Orso (8-3), 4.0 IP, 0 runs, 3 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts.
Losing Pitcher: SM, Belle Snyder (6-4), 6.1 IP, 7 runs (6 earned), 10 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED GAME ONE: USM 2, Colby 1

• After a scoreless three innings, USM struck first in the bottom of the fourth. Husky sophomore Madison Day (Otisfield, Maine/Oxford Hills) led off the inning with a double to left, and advanced to third on a single from junior Lauren Leidemann-Smith (South Berwick, Maine/Marshwood). After an out, Day and pinch-runner Sara Shea (Ellsworth, Maine) baited the Colby defense into a throw and Day executed the steal and slide under the tag to steal home and put USM up 1-0.
• Colby answered back in the top of the fifth taking advantage of a walk drawn by Hannah Masterson and a single from Lauren Ilano to put runners at first and third.  Chloe Wilcox drove in the game-tying run with a sharply hit ball deep to short stop that was fielded cleaning, but beat out the throw.
• With the game tied, USM scored the go-ahead run in the fifth. Junior Rona Scott (Beverly, Mass.) led off with a double to the centerfield fence, and sophomore Belle Snyder (Epping, N.H.) had a bunt single to put Huskies on first and third. Colby came up with a big play picking off the USM runner on third on a strong throw from Masterson, making it one out a runner on second. Getting another out via strikeout, Colby seemed to almost be out of a jam, but junior Kaitlyn Nelson (Guildhall, Vermont) hit a fast-paced grounder to second that was misplayed and Snyder scored from second to make it 2-1.
• Merrill continued her strong work in the circle working around a two-out single in the sixth, and then retired the side in order on three consecutive ground outs to earn the win.   

 
HOW IT HAPPENED GAME TWO: Colby 7, USM 2

• Colby scored four runs in the top of the third and Abby Orso pitched four innings of scoreless work on three hits, two walks and three strikeouts as the Mules held for the 7-2 win in the second game. Orso's win was her eighth (8-3) of the season.
• Colby scored its four third-inning runs on four hits and a walk.  Logan Luebbe drove in the Mules' first two runs with a single to center field for the second hit of the inning.  Katelyn Hays (Oakley, Calif.) made it 4-0 with a two-run single up the middle. Colby led 5-0 in the sixth, scoring an unearned run on a passed ball.
• The Huskies put two across in the bottom of the sixth to trail 5-2. Scott and freshman Morgan Roast (Gorham, Maine) each had RBI singles in the inning. 
• Colby put the game out of reach in the seventh when Morgan Fusco followed an Amanda Cabral double with a two-run home run over the center field fence for a 7-2 Mule advantage.  In the bottom of the third, Nelson led off with a single and Leidemann-Smith had a one-out single through the left side, but the Mules record the final two outs for the win.

UP NEXT:
The Huskies remain at home for another non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday (5:00 pm) versus Bowdoin College before traveling on Saturday (1:00 pm) for a Little East Conference set with Keene State.