GORHAM, Maine –  Senior Rona Scott (Beverly, Mass.) had a three-run home run, senior Lauren Miller (St. George, Maine/Camden Regional) was 4-for-7 at the plate, and freshman Kendall Migliorii (Salem, N.H.) was 3-for-5 and had a pair of standout defensive plays to highlight a Little East Conference doubleheader sweep of the Western Connecticut State University Wolves by the University of Southern Maine Huskies Sunday afternoon at the USM Softball Stadium.
 
The Huskies defeated WestConn 7-0 in game one and battled to a 2-1 win in game two to collect their fourth consecutive win since returning from Florida. 
 
THE SERIES:
Today's games marked the 74^th and 75^th meetings between the Huskies and the Wolves.  WestConn leads the overall series 47-28, but the Huskies have won the last eight matchups consecutively, including today's doubleheader. 
 
THE BASICS:
Game 1 - Records:
WestConn (10-9, 0-1 LEC)
Southern Maine (5-8, 1-0 LEC) 
Score: USM 7, WestConn 0
 
Game – 2 Records: 
WestConn (10-10, 0-2 LEC)
Southern Maine (6-8, 2-0 LEC)
Score: USM 2, WestConn 1
 
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. WestConn – Game 1
Winning Pitcher:  SM, Lauren Merrill (4-3), 7.0 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: WC, Sydney Chenowith (3-3) 1.0 IP, 6 hits, 7 runs, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts
 
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. WestConn – Game 2
Winning Pitcher:  SM, Lexus McIntosh (1-0), 7.0 IP, 4 hits, 1 run (0 earned), 1 walks, 2 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: WC, Golembiewski (2-5), 6.0 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 8 walks, 13 strikeouts
 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. WestConn Game 1:

• Scott connected on her second home run of the 2023 season, launching a ball on a line drive over the center field fence to drive in three runs in the bottom of the first to set the stage early for the Huskies.  With one down, Miller legged out an infield single, beating out the throw to first with a head first dive into the bag, and junior Lauren Merrill (Bethel, Maine/Oxford Hills), the pitcher of record, walked to give Scott the chance to pick up RBI.
• Merrill, who did not yield a hit until the fourth inning, retired the Wolves in order in the top of the second, and the Huskies tacked on four more runs to chase WestConn starter Sydney Chenowith out of the game. 
• USM scored its four runs on six hits in the bottom of the second, including an RBI double to right from Migliorini and a two-run RBI double down the left field line from junior Madison Day (South Paris, Maine/Oxford Hills). WestConn's Sarah Milyko replaced Chenowith with two on and no outs after the Day double.  Merrill drove in the final run of the inning with a single to center. 
• Merrill continued her control in the circle again retiring the side in order in the top of the third. USM had a runner at third in the home half of the inning following a double from junior Makena Mulcahy (Auburn, Mass.) but were unable to plate another run.
• WestConn's Amber Roggendorf broke up the no-hitter with a two-out single in the fourth, but Merrill ended the inning with one of her five strikeouts in the game. 
• The Huskies threatened for more runs with runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but Milyko pitched 5.0 innings of solid relief, scarring seven hits and two walks to keep the game 7-0.

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. WestConn Game 2:

• Senior Hannah Shields (Buckfield, Maine) singled through the right side for an RBI to break a 1-1 stalemate and lead Southern Maine to a 2-1 win over the Wolves.  Shields delivered in the clutch picking up the RBI with two outs.  Merrill and Scott each drew two-out walks to created the scoring chance for the Huskies. 
• WestConn took the early lead scoring on an unearned run in the top of the first.  Benni Tucci led off the inning with a bunt single, and stole second.  She advanced to third on a passed ball, before Alexis Resto drove her in with an RBI ground out to second.  Husky starter freshman Lexus McIntosh (Lancaster, N.H./White Mountains Regional) bounced back, however, to get the final two outs of the inning.
• USM tied the game up in the bottom of the first.  Day drew a lead off walk and advanced to second on another infield single from Miller before Merrill loaded the bases with a walk.  A passed ball resulted in a run-down taking Miller out at third, but Day crossed the plate.  WestConn's Hailey Golembiewski worked her way out of a potential big inning forcing an ground out to first and getting the final Husky on strikes.
• After the first inning, neither team was able to score until the fifth.  Golembiewski picked up nine of her 13 strikeouts in the second, third and fourth inning.  In the fourth, she struck out three straight after loading the bases on a walk and a pair of bunt singles to keep the game at 1-1. 
• In the fifth, WestConn had a runner on with one out following a single from Madison Zicchinell, but she was caught stealing on a strong throw from USM freshman catcher Madison Renner (Alton, N.H./Prospect Mountain). 
• After shields go-ahead RBI single in the fifth, McIntosh put WestConn down in order in the sixth, and worked her way around a two-out single in the seventh for her first collegiate win.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• The Huskies finished game one with 13 hits.  Four of those 13 hits went for extra bases.  Miller was 3-for-3 in game one with a run scored, while Merrill was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Scott was 1-for-3 with one run scored and three RBI, and a walk. 
• Miller, Merrill, Migliorini and Mulcahey each recorded multiple hit games. 
• Merrill had five strikeouts in the win, and did not yield a walk. She held WestConn to three hits – all singles.
• Shields had two of the Huskies four hits in game two.  Miller and Migliorini each had a single. Scott drew three walks in game two.

 
UP NEXT:
Southern Maine travels to Colby College on Tuesday, April 4 (4:00 pm) for a non-conference doubleheader, and host UMaine Farmington on Thursday, April 6 (3:30 pm) for another non-conference doubleheader.
 
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