GORHAM, Maine  –  The Plymouth State University Panthers earned a sweep over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference softball doubleheader Tuesday evening at the USM Softball Stadium. The Panthers defeated Southern Maine 11-4 in game one and 2-1 in game two.
 
The Panthers had two strong pitching performances in the pair of wins. In game one, Emily Antrim held USM to four runs (three earned) on nine hits and no walks. In game two, Kate McGrath scattered four hits – all singles – over seven runs.
 
Series Record:
Today's doubleheader marked the 102^nd and 103^rd meeting between the Huskies and the Plymouth State University Panthers in series history. The Huskies lead the overall series 56-47. The Huskies were 9-1 against the Panthers in their last 10 games. Southern Maine defeated PSU 2-1 and 5-1 in its 2023 series. 
 
Records:
GM 1 – Plymouth State 11, Southern Maine 4
Plymouth State (10-17, 2-7 Little East)   101  101  7    11-12-2
Southern Maine (19-8, 5-4 Little East)    200  010  1     4-9-2
 
Game 1 - Pitching Record:
WP:  Emily Antrim (4-4) 7.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
LP:   Olivia Levasseur (0-1)  2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 0 K
 
 
GM 2 – Plymouth State 2, Southern Maine 1
Plymouth State (11-17, 3-7 Little East)   002  000 0 2-2-1
Southern Maine (19-9, 5-5 Little East)    000  010 0 1-4-1
 
Game 2 - Pitching Record:
WP:  Kate McGrath (4-3), 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
LP:   Lexus McIntosh (10-4), 7.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6Kd
 
How It Happened: Game One –Plymouth State 11, Southern Maine 4

• Jade Guertin had three RBI and Mia Ly and Emily Bessette each had two RBI to lead the Panthers. PSU had 12 hits in the game, including three extra base hits on doubles from Bessette, Kenzie Bessette and Guertin.  
• The Huskies took the lead in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from senior Rona Scott (Beverly, Mass.) and an RBI sacrifice fly from senior Madi Day (Otisfield, Maine/Oxford Hills).
• PSU tied the game up in the top of the third on an RBI double from Guertin. The Panthers leapt ahead when Emily Bessette scored on a wild pitch after reaching safely on a lead off walk for a 3-2 lead.
• USM tied the game up in the home half of the fourth with an RBI ground from senior Makena Mulcahy (Auburn, Mass.), but PSU retook the lead 4-3 in the top of the seventh on an RBI double from Kenzie Bessette.
• After a quiet bottom of the sixth from USM, PSU closed the door on the game with seven runs in the top of the seventh for the 11-4 final.

 
How It Happened: Game Two – Plymouth State 2, Southern Maine 1

• PSU scored twice in the top of the third and rode McGrath's pitching performance the rest of the way for the win.  The Panthers used two hits and a pair of walks in the inning.  Avery Couch drove in the first run with an RBI sacrifice fly to right and Kenzie Bessette hit an RBI double to the gap in left for a 2-0 Panther lead.
•  The Huskies took a run back in the bottom of the fifth. Mulcahy had a one-out single to start the inning, and moved up to third on a walk and a fielder's choice ground out.  Freshman Laura Perreault (Biddeford, Maine) had a two-out pinch-hit RBI single through the left side to account for the Huskies' run.
• McGrath was able to get a fly out to deep center to end the threat in the fifth, and allowed just one runner on a fielding error in the final two innings to get the win.
• Sophomore Lexus McIntosh (Lancaster, N.H./White Mountains Regional) pitched well in the loss, holding the Panthers to just two hits and three walks while striking out six. 

 
Up Next:
Southern Maine remains in Little East Conference play on Saturday (1:00 pm) traveling to UMass Dartmouth for a doubleheader. The Huskies return home on Sunday (11:00 am) for a non-conference doubleheader against Colby College.
 
 
-cac-