GORHAM, Maine – Senior
Meaghan Dufresne (Mattapoisett, Mass./Old Rochester Regional) went 4-for-5 at the plate with five RBI, and junior
Kendall Migliorini (Salem, NH) was 3-for-6 with four RBI as the University of Southern Maine Huskies combined for 16 hits and 14 runs over two games to sweep the Keene State College Owls 6-2 and 8-0 (5 inn.) in a Little East Conference doubleheader Wednesday evening at the USM Softball Stadium.
With the bats alive, Southern Maine's pitching duo of junior
Lexus McIntosh (Lancaster, NH/White Mountains Regional) and freshman
Mia Coots (Hartland, Maine/Nokomis) kept the Owls off balance. McIntosh was the game-one winner allowing two earned runs on three hits (all singles) and a pair of walks while striking out two. Coots earned her third shutout win of the season in game two limiting the Owls to two hits and a walk while striking out seven.
With the sweep, the Huskies improve to 6-2 in the Little East Conference.
Records:
GM 1 – Southern Maine 6, Keene State 2
Keene State (12-9, 1-4 LEC) 000 002 0 2-3-1
Southern Maine (10-13, 5-2 LEC) 100 230 x 6-8-0
GM 2 – Southern Maine 8, Keene State 0 – 5 innings
Keene State (12-10, 1-5 LEC) 000 00 0-2-2
Southern Maine (11-13, 6-2 LEC) 013 4x 8-8-0
Pitching Records:
GM 1 – Southern Maine vs. Keene State
WP: SM,
Lexus McIntosh (5-7), 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
LP: KSC, Lilah Demmy (3-5), 4.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
GM 2 – Southern Maine vs. Keene State
WP: SM,
Mia Coots (6-6), 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
LP: KSC, Carissa Miller (2-4), 3.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
How It Happened: Game One – USM 6, KSC 2
- USM took an early lead in the first on a two-out RBI double from Migliorini. Junior Alana DeLisle (Amesbury, Mass.) started the Huskies off with a perfectly placed bunt single to set the stage for Migliorini's extra base hit and used her speed on the basepath to ensure the run.
- Staked a 1-0 lead after the first, McIntosh kept the Huskies in front with a solid performance in the circle. After giving up a one-out single in the top of the second, McIntosh retired the next 11 Keene State batters in order
- With McIntosh in control, the Huskies remained in front 1-0 before adding two more runs in the fourth. With one out, junior MacKenzie Renner (Alton, NH/Prospect Mountain) singled up the middle and Dufresne drew a walk before sophomore Maddy Paradis (Salem, NH) doubled down the left field line for a pair of RBI and a 3-0 Husky advantage.
- The Huskies made it 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs on three hits with two outs. KSC starter Lilah Remmy got the first two outs of the inning on a fly out and a strikeout before yielding a single to right to junior Ella Bezanson (Amesbury, Mass.). The Owls looked to be out of the inning but a hard-hit ground ball from Migliorni was mishandled to extend the inning an put runners on first and third. Renner then stepped in and hit a ball off the fence in left-center field for a two-run double and a 5-0 USM lead. Renner advanced to third on a wild pitch before crossing home on an RBI single from Dufresne for a 6-0 Husky lead.
- KSC broke up the shutout in the sixth, as Olivia Souers drew a lead off walk and advanced to second on a single through the left side from Elyse Picard. Both runners moved up a base on a ground out to second, before Abby Weitermann picked up a two-RBI single through the left side for a 6-2 game. McIntosh battled back however, getting two more ground outs to end the inning.
- McIntosh closed the game sitting the Owls in order with a ground out, strike out and a ground out for the win.
Game Two - USM 8, KSC 0 – 5 Innings
- Starting the game with back-to-back strikeouts, Coots kept the Owls scoreless while the Husky offense broke out for eight runs on eight hits.
- After a scoreless first inning, the Huskies took a 1-0 lead in the second. Dufresne singled to right and advanced to third on a fielding error. With a runner in scoring position, freshman Gwen Christie (Barnstead, NH/Prospect Mountain) picked up the RBI with a sacrifice fly to left.
- Up 1-0 and with Coots dominant in the circle, the Huskies took a 4-0 lead with three run in the bottom of the third. The Huskies took advantage of a KSC error, a walk and two hits to generate their offense. With Bezanson on following the error, and a walk draw by junior Olivia Levasseur (Amesbury, Mass.), Migliorini loaded the based with a single through the left side. The Owls stopped the Huskies first run from scoring with a solid force play at the plate for one out, and then made it two outs following a fly ball to shallow left. However, Southern Maine was able to clear the bases when Dufresne doubled to the gap in right for three RBI before the final out of the inning.
- In the top of the fourth, Coots sat KSC in order, and the Huskies remained in front 4-0 before using a four-run bottom of the inning to go-ahead 8-0. The Huskies scored all four of their runs with two outs highlighted by a three-run home run to right field from Migliorini for a 7-0 lead. After Migliorini cleared the bases, Renner extended the inning with a single through the left side and moved up a base on a walk drawn by freshman Ava Gerrish (Limerick, Maine/Massabesic). Dufresne pushed the lead to 8-0 with a double to right to score Renner but KSC got the trail runner out at home to end the inning.
- Coots ended the game in the fifth getting a pair of strikeouts to bring her total to seven for the game and invoking the eight run rule.
Up Next:
Southern Maine remains at home on Friday, April 18 against non-conference opponent Bowdoin (4:00pm). The Huskies are on the road this weekend at Colby College for a non-conference doubleheader on Sunday (12:00 pm), and then remain on the road for an LEC doubleheader at Plymouth State on Tuesday (3:00 pm).
-cac-
