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Sarah Jamo 200 Career Wins
Head Coach Sarah Jamo Earned Her 200th Career Win with a Sweep at Plymouth State
2
Winner Southern Me. USM 16-15
1
Plymouth St. PSU 13-16
Winner
Southern Me. USM
16-15
2
Final
1
Plymouth St. PSU
13-16
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Southern Me. USM 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 6 2
Plymouth St. PSU 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 4

W: Merrill, Lauren (9-6) L: K. McGrath (5-5) S: Snyder, Belle (1)

5
Winner Southern Me. USM 17-15
1
Plymouth St. PSU 13-17
Winner
Southern Me. USM
17-15
5
Final
1
Plymouth St. PSU
13-17
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Southern Me. USM 2 0 1 0 0 0 2 5 9 1
Plymouth St. PSU 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 4 2

W: Snyder, Belle (6-7) L: E. Antrim (5-6)

Game Recap: Softball | | Christina Cracolici, Director of Athletic Communications

Strong Pitching Leads Huskies to Sweep of Plymouth State 2-1, 5-1

Head Coach Sarah Jamo Earns 200th Career Win

PLYMOUTH, N.H. -  The University of Southern Maine Huskies rode two standout pitching performances from juniors Lauren Merrill (Bethel, Maine/Oxford Hills) and Belle Snyder (Epping, N.H.) to sweep the Plymouth State University Panthers 2-1, 5-1 in a Little East Conference doubleheader Thursday afternoon at D&M Park.
 
Earning their sixth consecutive win, the Huskies' sweep of the Panthers secured head coach Sarah Jamo's 200th career victory.  Taking over the Huskies in 2012, the 10-year veteran coach has twice been named the LEC Coach of the Year (2015, 2021).  Jamo's 100th career win came on April 14, 2018. 
 
THE SERIES:
Today's doubleheader marked the 100th and 101st meetings between the University of Southern Maine and Plymouth State University.  The Huskies lead the overall series 56-45.  The Huskies are 9-1 against the Panthers in their last 10 games.  PSU last defeated USM 6-0 on May 3, 2019.
 
THE BASICS:
Game 1 - Records:
Southern Maine (16-15, 7-4 LEC) 
Plymouth State (13-16, 4-7 LEC)
Score: Southern Maine 2, Plymouth State 1
 
Game – 2 Records: 
Southern Maine (17-15, 8-4 LEC) 
Plymouth State (13-17, 4-8 LEC)
Score: Southern Maine
 
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. PSU – Game 1
Winning Pitcher: SM, Lauren Merrill (9-6), 6.0 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: PSU, Kate McGrath (5-5), 7.0 IP, 6 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
Save: SM, Belle Snyder (1), 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
 
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. PSU – Game 2
Winning Pitcher: SM, Belle Snyder (6-7), 7.0 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 13 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: PSU, Emily Antrim (5-6), 7.0 IP, 9 hits, 5 runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout
Save: None
 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. PSU Game 1:
  • Merrill was outstanding in her start, going six innings and allowing just one run on three hits, and striking out four. The Huskies' right-hander also got it done at the plate, picking up one of Southern Maine's six hits in the opener.
  • Senior Lauren Miller (St. George, Maine/Camden Hills) and junior Dory Kulis (Georgetown, Maine/Morse) each had a hit and a run scored, while Snyder, freshman Olivia Levasseur (Amesbury, Mass.) and junior Makena Mulcahy (Auburn, Mass.) each had a hit.
  • In a classic pitcher's dual, neither Merrill or PSU starter Kate McGrath allowed a runner past second in the opening two innings.  McGrath had three of her six strikeouts in the opening innings, while Merrill had two strikeouts and forced four ground outs.
  • The Huskies got on the board in the third as Mulcahy led off the inning with a double to center field and advanced to third on a perfectly placed bunt single from Miller.  The Huskies seemed ready to go up 1-0 on a pinch-hit ground out, but Mulcahy was cut down at home for the first out of the inning.  With Miller advancing to second on a stolen base, Merrill stepped up and hit an RBI single up the middle to give USM a 1-0 lead.
  • The Huskies lead was short-lived as the Panthers answered in the bottom of the inning, scoring on a wild pitch.  PSU's Lauren Archambau led off the inning with a walk, and moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt before moving to third and then scoring on a pair or wild pitches. 
  • USM scored the go-ahead run in the top of the fifth, as Kulis hit a single up the middle with one out and moved up a base after Merrill was hit by a pitch.  A walk to USM senior Rona Scott (Beverly, Mass.) loaded the bases before a fielding error gave USM an opportunity to score and Kulis crossed home for a 2-1 lead.
  • Merrill continued her strong work in the fifth, working around a lead-off walk with a strikeout, and an outstanding play from freshman catcher Mackenzie Renner (Alton, N.H/Prospect Mountain) and junior shortstop Madison Day (Otisfield, Maine) to catch a would-be base stealer to end the inning.
  • In the sixth, Merrill forced three straight groundouts after a lead-off double before giving way to Snyder for the close in the seventh. Snyder picked up her first save of 2023 with a pair of strikeouts.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. PSU Game 2:
  • Snyder matched her career high with 13 strikeouts in a dominant performance against the Panthers. Snyder struck out the side in the second and fifth. The 2022 All-Region pitcher was also strong at the plate for the Huskies, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.
  • Senior Hannah Shields (Buckfield, Maine) also had a strong day at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with three RBI, including a two-run double. Kulis, freshmen Kendall Migliorini (Salem, N.H.) and Ella Bezanson (Amesbury, Mass.) and junior Allie Mailhiot (Goffstown, N.H.) each had hits.
  • USM jumped out early as Shields knocked in the first two of her three RBI of the game in the top of the first with a double to the gap in right field. Snyder had a one-out single and advanced to second on an error before Scott was hit by a pitch to give the Huskies two runners on with two outs, setting up Shields.
  • Up 2-0 early, Snyder pitched a clean first and second inning, striking out four. USM made it 3-0 in the top of the third again thanks to Shields who had an RBI single to right.  Snyder led off the inning with an infield single, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt before Shields sent her home with a hit.
  • PSU made it 3-1 in the bottom of the third, scoring an unearned run, following a single to right from Emily Bessette. After the third, Snyder allowed just one base runner over the fourth, fifth and sixth inning, and picked up five of her 13 strikeouts in that stretch
  • Holding a 3-1 lead headed to the top of the seventh, USM added two more runs.  With one out, Bezanson reached on a single down the right field line, before Mailhiot delivered with a pinch hit single to the same spot for two runners on and one out. Kulis followed with a pinch hit single to left, but Bezanson was thrown out at the plate.  With runners on second and third and two down, Snyder gave herself some breathing room with a two-run single for a 5-1 USM lead.
  • PSU threatened in the seventh with three singles to load the bases with one out, but Snyder bounced back with a strikeout and a pop up to earn the win.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
  • Snyder finished the doubleheader 4-for-5 at the plate with two RBI.
  • Sheild's three RBI give her a team-best 21 this season. 
  • As a pinch-hitter, Mailhiot is 3-for-5 with two walks.
 
UP NEXT:
Southern Maine remains on the road for another Little East Conference doubleheader at Castleton University on Saturday (12:00/2:00 pm).  The Huskies return home on Thursday (4:30/6:30 pm) for a non-conference doubleheader.
-cac-
 
 
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