LEWISTON – Junior Kelsey Freedman struck out seven batters from the circle and recorded an RBI triple at the plate to help lead Bates College softball past Colby College, 6-2, at Lafayette Street Field on Tuesday afternoon.
The Bobcats (8-15, 2-7 NESCAC East) took the season series from the Mules (5-16, 1-8 NESCAC East) after the two teams split a doubleheader played at Husson University on April 6. Bates won game one 12-2 and Colby took game two 6-5 in the twin bill.
Freedman pitched a complete-game seven innings in the win (5-9). Colby senior Aimee Polimeno allowed six runs, four earned, over three innings in the loss (3-7) while junior Megan Michie provided three scoreless innings of relief.
For the Bobcats, senior Alayna Garbarino and junior Kira Shaikh each posted RBI doubles while first-year Maddie Inlow went 3-for-3 with 2 RBIs on the day.
Bates took a 3-0 lead after the bottom of the first, scoring all of their runs with two outs in the inning. Shaikh started the rally down the left field line to plate a run, and Garbarino followed with a double to a similar spot in the outfield which brought home Shaikh. Inlow capped the inning’s scoring with a single to right field, plating Garbarino.
The Bobcats doubled their lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the third as junior Brenna Callahan led off the inning with a walk before Freedman sent her RBI triple down the right field line. Freedman later scored off a passed ball, and Inlow again closed the inning’s scoring with a single to right center which Shaikh came home on.
The Mules closed their deficit to 6-2 in the top of the fifth as first-year Kate McLaughlin singled to right center with two outs to plate two runners. After two Mules walked to start the inning, first-year Grace Farnkoff hit a single to right center which almost plated a run before the Bobcats recorded an out on a run down. Bates registered a second out on a ground out before McLaughin notched her two-RBI single.
Freedman struck out four Colby batters over the final two innings to preserve the win.
UMF sweeps Husson
FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington got some timely hitting and two solid pitching performances on its way to a doubleheader sweep of Husson University, 5-2 and 2-1, in the Beavers’ Prescott Field opener on Tuesday.
The wins were UMaine-Farmington’s first over Husson since April 20, 2010, and ended the Beavers’ 10-game winless streak versus the Eagles.
For the Eagles, it was the first regular season sweep at the hands of a NAC opponent since dropping two games to Thomas, 5-1 and 5-4, on April 16, 2008.
UMaine-Farmington scored all the runs it would need for the win in game one in the first inning. Shelby Bryant and Emily Soule opened the frame with singles, with Bryant eventually scoring on a throwing error to first base on Katie Clark’s sacrifice bunt in front of the plate. Kennadi Grover singled into right field to score Soule, and Lust drove a sacrifice fly to right field that allowed Clark to cross. Both Soule and Clark came home as unearned runs.
The Beavers’ lead grew to 4-0 in the second when Jillian Withee scored on Soule’s sac fly to left field.
Husson broke the Beavers’ shutout bid in the top of the sixth, scoring Lyndsey Merrill on a Farmington error on Casey Lopes’ grounder to second base. UMaine-Farmington got that run back in the bottom of the frame, when Withee laid down a bunt single that scored pinch runner Natasha DeRoche.
The Eagles plated their second run in the seventh, again courtesy a Beaver error – this time a fielding error at short, which allowed Haley Spiers to score from second base. That left runners at first and second with no outs, but Farmington starter Soule induced a sharp double play grounder to third, then got Chelsea Brennan to pop up to first base to get out of the jam.
Soule scattered six hits and fanned six Husson batters on her way to the win, improving to 6-2 on the season with the complete game win. Husson’s Amanda Ryan also went the distance, allowing nine hits and just two earned runs with four strikeouts in the loss.
In game two, Amy Jones accounted for both UMaine-Farmington runs in the 2-1 victory.
Jones drove in the Beavers’ first run in the bottom of the third inning with an RBI single to score Devin Fitzgerald, after Fitzgerald drew a walk to lead off the frame.
Husson quickly knotted the game at 1-1 in the fourth. Jess Poulin stroked a one-out single into left center, advanced on a single by Sami Schultz, and scored on Spiers’ single into straightaway center field.
Jones provided the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth, belting a one-out solo home run, her second round-tripper of the season, to give the Beavers a 2-1 lead.
Husson threatened in the top of the seventh, starting with a walk issued to Schultz to start off the inning, but the Beavers got out of the jam with a little controversy.
After Husson sent in Sarah Babin as a pinch runner for Schultz and the Beavers pulled starter Courtney Fowler in favor of Soule in a relief role, Spiers laid down a bunt directly in front of the plate. The ensuing throw from Farmington catcher Meryl Bond hit Spiers in the back, and the home plate umpire ruled her out on interference for leaving the base path. Babin, who had advanced to third, was sent back to first, but was thrown out trying to steal second during the at bat of pinch hitter Lyndsey Merrill. Merrill then hit a hard grounder back to Soule, who completed the throw to first to give the Beavers the win.
Fowler picked up the win for her six innings of work, recording two strikeouts while giving up eight hits. Soule earned her first save of the season for her two batters faced.
Husson starter Kayla Merrill allowed just five UMF hits in her six innings in the circle, and was charged with the loss.
Baseball
Holy Cross 10, Maine 5
WORCESTER, Mass. – The University of Maine baseball team fell to Holy Cross 10-5 on Tuesday afternoon in Worcester, Mass. Brian Doran and Alex Calbick each had three hits for the Black Bears, while Nick Bernardo belted a home run in the game.
Maine falls to 14-22 on the season, while Holy Cross improves to 12-27.
Each team put up crocked numbers in the second inning. Maine scored a pair of runs in the top of the frame. Jonathan Salcedo walked and scored when Jake Osborne reached on an error. Osborne scored the second run of the inning when Doran singled to center field.
Holy Cross answered back with five runs in the bottom of the stanza. Connor Perry walked and Bill Schlich singled through the right side. Evan Ocello followed with a three-run home run to left field. Nick Lovullo walked and Jack St. Clair singled to left field. Brandon Cipolla then singled through the left side to load the bases. Anthony Critelli followed with a two-run singled to left field scoring Lovullo and St. Clair.
Bernardo belted a home run to right field in the top of the third inning to pull Maine to within two runs. For Bernardo, it was his first home run.
Maine tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. Osborne walked and Shane Bussey singled to left. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. Osborne scored on a second wild pitch and Bussey advanced to third. Bussey scored when Troy Black hit a sacrifice fly.
Holy Cross took the lead back in the bottom of the fourth. Cipolla singled, moved to third when Critelli doubled and scored on a balk. The Crusaders added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend their lead to 8-5. Ocello doubled and Lovullo walked. Both runners scored when St. Clair singled through the left side.
The Crusaders added a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to push their lead to 10-5.
Maine used seven pitchers in the game. Logan Fullmer went 1.2 innings and allowed five runs on six hits. Jeff Gelinas scattered three hits over 1.1 innings. Luke Morrill surrendered three runs on four hits over two innings. He suffers the loss and falls to 0-1 on the season. Burk FitzPatrick did not allow a hit in two innings of relief. Chris Piteo began the eighth inning and allowed two runs. Charlie Butler replaced Piteo and did not allow a run on three hits.
Holy Cross used six pitchers in the game. Justin Finan allowed two runs, one of which was earned, in 1.2 innings. George Capen allowed one run in 1.1 innings. Jeremy Perron surrendered two runs in a third of an inning. Zach Fox pitched a game-high three innings and allowed just three hits. Sean Gustin pitched two thirds of an inning and retired both batters that he faced.
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