MANSFIELD, Conn. –  The University of Southern Maine Huskies' softball team suffered a pair of walk-off losses in a competitive day two of the 2023 Little East Conference Softball Championship Tournament hosted by Eastern Connecticut State University at Washburne Field.
 
Third seeded Huskies fell to second seed UMass Dartmouth 5-4 in their first game of the day, and then dropped a heart-breaking 10-inning 4-3 game to fifth seed Rhode Island College. The pair of losses concludes the Huskies' 2023 season. 
 
THE SERIES vs. UMass Dartmouth
Today's game marks the 78^th meeting between the University of Southern Maine and UMass Dartmouth. The Huskies and the Corsairs split their 2023 regular season doubleheader. USM fell in the opener 6-5 and then took a 4-0 win in game two.  The Huskies are 5-3-1against UMD in their last nine games.
 
THE SERIES vs. Rhode Island College
Today's game marks the 72^nd meeting between the University of Southern Maine and Rhode Island College.  The Anchormen swept the Huskies in their 2023 regular season doubleheader and lead the overall series 41-30.
 
THE BASICS:
Records:
No. 3 Southern Maine (20-20)
No. 2 UMass Dartmouth (27-11)
Score: UMass Dartmouth 5, Southern Maine 4
 
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. UMass Dartmouth – LEC Championship, Game No. 5
Winning Pitcher: UMD, Jill Richards (12-7), 7.0 IP, 8 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), 2 walks, 6 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: SM, Lexus McIntosh (2-3), 1.1 IP, 2 hits, 1 run (0 earned), 2 walks, 0 strikeouts
Save: None
 
 
Records:
No. 3 Southern Maine (20-21)
No. 5 Rhode Island College (19-18)
Score: Rhode Island College 4, Southern Maine 3 – 10 innings
 
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. Rhode Island College – LEC Championship, Game No. 6
Winning Pitcher: RIC, Abby Kidd (13-8), 5.2 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: SM, Belle Snyder (8-10), 6.0 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 5 walks, 6 strikeouts
Save: None
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. UMass Dartmouth

• Down 4-3 headed to the top of the seventh, Southern Maine rallied to knot the score up at 4-4. Junior Lauren Merrill (Bethel, Maine/Oxford Hills) led off the inning with a double to left and then came around to score the game-tying run on an RBI single through the right side from senior Rona Scott (Beverly, Mass.).
• The Corsairs answered with a double from Dyonna Rodas to lead off the bottom of the seventh before Jill Richards drew a walk to put runners on first and second. With no outs, UMD's RaeLynn Perregaux put the ball into play and a Huskies' fielding error gave Rodas an opportunity to score from second to earn the win.
• The Huskies outhit the Corsairs 8-6, and Merrill and junior Dory Kulis (Georgetown, Maine/Morse) each had a double. Scott, junior Belle Snyder (Epping, N.H.) and freshman Kendall Migliorini (Salem, N.H.) each had an RBI. Snyder and Migliorini collected two hits.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. Rhode Island College

• Southern Maine scored two runs in the top of the sixth to overcome a 3-1 deficit and tie the game up at 3-3 to set up extra innings. The Huskies used a single from Migliorini, a pair of RIC errors and heads up base running to generate the game-tying runs.  Junior Madison Day (Otisfield, Maine/Oxford Hills) had an RBI fielder's choice to highlight the inning.
• With the game tied up at 3-3, Snyder, who entered the game in relief of Merrill in the fourth inning, pitched her way around a pair of walks in the sixth, and retired the side in order to put the game into the eighth.
• Both teams were three up and three down in the eighth, and the Huskies went down in order in the top of the ninth.  In the bottom of the ninth, Snyder worked past an error and two walks to keep the Anchormen off the board.
• In the top of the 10^th, USM senior Hannah Shields (Buckfield, Maine) led off the inning with a double to the gap in left, but was cut down advancing to third before RIC got the final out to end the threat.
• RIC was able to get the game-winner in the 10^th, rallying on two outs. Victoria Young started the rally with a single to left, and advance to second on a walk to Avery Katz.  With runners on second and first, Amanda Conti hit a single to center to drive in Young for the 4-3 final.

 
 
2023 Little East Conference Tournament Seeds:

1. Eastern Connecticut                                                             26-8, 16-0 LEC
2. UMass Dartmouth                                                                25-10, 12-4 LEC
3. University of Southern Maine                                                19-19, 10-6 LEC
4. Castleton                                                                             18-14, 9-4 LEC
5. Rhode Island College                                                           17-17, 8-8 LEC
6. UMass Boston                                                                     20-19, 6-10 LEC

 
2023 LEC Tournament Schedule
Wednesday, May 10
Game 1: No. 4 Castleton versus No. 5 Rhode Island College – Castleton 2-0
Game 2: No. 3 Southern Maine versus No. 6 UMass Boston – Southern Maine 2-0
Game 3: No. 5 Rhode Island College versus No. 6 UMass Boston  - RIC, 3-0
UMass Boston Eliminated
 
Thursday, May 11
Game 4: No. 1 Eastern Connecticut versus No. 4 Castleton – ECSU 8-0 (5 inn.)
Game 5: No. 2 UMass Dartmouth versus No. 3 Southern Maine – UMD, 5-4
Game 6:  No. 3 Southern Maine versus  No. 5 Rhode Island College – RIC, 4-3 (10 inn.)
Southern Maine Eliminated
 
Friday, May 12
Game 7: No. 1 Eastern Connecticut  versus No. 2 UMass Dartmouth
Game 8: No. 4 Castleton versus No. 5 Rhode Island College
Game 9: Game 7 Loser versus Game 8 Winner
 
Saturday, May 13
Game 10:  Game 7 Winner versus Game 9 Winner
Game 11: If necessary


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