GORHAM, Maine - Carly Stoker earned the game one win, and picked up the save in game two and Sarah Remillard was 3-for-7 with two RBI to lead the No. 25 Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors to a pair of wins over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the USM Softball Stadium.
 
Playing in its regular season finale, Southern Maine finishes its Little East Conference regular season with a record of 10-6.  The Huskies are the third seed in the upcoming 2023 LEC Softball Championship which begins May 10 and will be hosted by regular season champion Eastern Connecticut.  The Huskies will face No. 6 UMass Boston at 3 pm in its first game.
 
THE SERIES:
Today's doubleheader marks the 67^th and 68^th meetings between the University of Southern Maine and Eastern Connecticut State University.  Eastern Connecticut leads the overall series 37-31.  The Huskies split the 2022 series 4-2, 1-8 on the road at Eastern Connecticut on May 6, 2022
 
THE BASICS:
Game 1 - Records:
No. 25 Eastern Connecticut (25-8, 15-0 LEC)
Southern Maine (19-18, 10-5 LEC) 
Score: Eastern Connecticut 1, Southern Maine 0
 
Game – 2 Records: 
No. 25 Eastern Connecticut (26-8, 16-0 LEC)
Southern Maine (19-19, 10-6 LEC) 
Score: Eastern Connecticut 3, Southern Maine 1
 
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. ECONN – Game 1
Winning Pitcher: ECSU, Carley Stoker (14-1), 7.0 IP, 5 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: SM, Lauren Merrill (10-8), 7.0 IP, 4 hits, 1 runs (0 earned), 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
Save: None
 
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. ECONN – Game 2
Winning Pitcher: ECSU, Alyssa Vilchez (11-2), 5.0 IP, 4 hits, 1 run (0 earned), 0 walks, 7 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: SM, Belle Snyder (7-9), 5.0 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts
Save: ECSU, Stoker (4), 2.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 4 strikeouts
 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. ECONN Game 1:

• Eastern scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh to take game one 1-0 over the Huskies.  Stoker earned the win for the Warriors firing seven shutout innings, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out two. 
• Southern Maine starter Lauren Merrill (Bethel, Maine/Oxford Hills) was the hard-luck loser pitching an outstanding seven innings.  Merrill held the Warriors to four hits and a walk, and struck out five.  She did not allow an earned run.
• The Warriors were able to get a base runner when Taylor Darby singled up the middle with one out.  With another out, Darby moved herself into scoring position on a stolen base before she was able to cross home plate on a Husky fielding error for the win.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. ECONN Game 2:

• Alyssa Vilchez pitched 5.0 innings allowing four hits, and an unearned run, while striking out seven, and Stoker pitched a strong two innings of relief with four strikeouts and no hits in a 3-1 win in game.
• USM starter Belle Snyder (Epping, N.H.) pitched well in the loss. She pitched 5.0 innings allowing four hits and three earned runs. She struck out five. 
• ECSU scored its first run of the game in the top of the third.  Maddy Bowen drew a one-out walk before Remillard doubled her in for an RBI and a 1-0 Warrior lead.
• The Warriors led 3-0 after the top of the fifth, scoring a both runs with two outs. Emma Marelli led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.  After a fly out to give the Warriors two down and a runner on second, Remillard drove in her second run of the game with a single to right field. After the RBI, Remillard stole second and Vilchez singled her in with a shot to left.
• USM took a run back in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI pinch hit single from junior Dory Kulis (Georgetown, Maine/Morse). 
• USM threatened for more runs in the sixth loading the bases.  Merrill started the inning with a single through the left side and senior Rona Scott (Beverly, Mass.) reached on an ECSU fielding error. With two on and no outs, Stoker entered in relief of Vilchez, and the Huskies loaded the bases taking advantage of another fielding error.  Stoker was able to bounce back and get her team out of the jam with a fly out, a heads up force play at the plate and a strikeout.
• After a quiet top of the seventh from ECSU, Stoker stayed on in the bottom of the inning retiring the side.  

UP NEXT:
Southern Maine is set for the 2023 Little East Conference Softball Championship which will be hosted by Rhode Island College May 10-13.  Eastern Connecticut is the number one seed and 2023 LEC Regular Season Champion.  With its conference record of 10-6, Southern Maine is the No. 3 seed for the tournament.
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