PETERSBURG, Va. — Central Maine Community College recovered just enough from some poor early shooting to edge out University of Maine at Augusta 45-39 in a USCAA Division II women’s basketball national tournament quarterfinal Tuesday night on the campus of Richard Bland College.
The second-seeded Mustangs missed 12 of their first 13 shots and they trailed 11-4 after one quarter. They slowly chipped away and went into the fourth quarter down 28-27.
Eliza Brault scored a game-high 19 points, Lewiston grad Emily Strachan added nine points and seven rebounds, and Oxford Hills grad Jade Smedberg pulled down eight rebounds.
CMCC forced 33 turnovers and turned them into 22 points on the offensive end.
The seventh-seeded Moose, who beat conference rival CMCC twice handily during the regular season, were paced by Monmouth grad Kaeti Butterfield’s 11 points. She also pulled down nine rebounds.
The Mustangs advance to Wednesday’s semifinal against Cincinnati-Clermont (which beat Southern Maine Community College on Tuesday night) at 7 p.m. at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
SOUTHERN MAINE 20, UM-FARMINGTON 2: The Huskies (2-2) bolted out to an 11-0 lead after one period, paced by four goals from Rachel Shanks, as they rolled to a comfortable victory over the Beavers (0-2) at Gorham.
Shanks finished with five goals, and Kiaya Gatchel matched that output, while Jennifer Darasz, Emily Baker and Paige Rinaldi tossed in two goals apiece. Lewiston grad Cece Racine made one save while playing goalie in the first half.
Emma Brown and Kaya Backman scored for UMaine-Farmington. Maddy TenKate made six saves after starting in net for the Beavers, and Kate Nowell stopped two shots in relief.
MEN’S LACROSSE
COLBY 21, MAINE MARITIME 5: Jack Rickards and Matt Stein recorded four goals apiece to pace 13 different scorers for the Mules (1-1) as they flew out to a 15-0 halftime margin and cruised past the Mariners (1-2) at Waterville.
Grey Warble and Bret Miller each added a pair of goals for Colby.
Jacob Belanger led Maine Maritime with two goals. Lewiston grad Jayden Wilson added a goal and an assist.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
SOUTHERN MAINE CC 71, MIAMI-HAMILTON 57: Ian Regan and DeSean Cromwell combined for 11 points to fuel an 18-4 start for the Seawolves, who defeated the Harriers in a USCAA Division II Small College National Tournament quarterfinal in Petersburg, Virginia.
Cameren Cousins led the way with 20 points for SMCC, Zachary Mickle added 16 points, while Cromwell tossed in 15 and Regan finished with 11.
King Goss had 19 points for Miami-Hamilton.
The Seawolves advance to face Penn State Mont Alto on Wednesday in a semifinal at 5 p.m.
BASEBALL
ST. JOSEPH’S 17, PENN STATE-ABINGTON 7: Jackson Stanton lined a two-run double to break a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth and Drew Healey hit a two-run blast as the Monks (2-2) grabbed a 5-1 lead and pulled away from the Nittany Lions (4-3) in Winter Haven, Florida.
Ben Gravel went 4 for 6 to pace an 18-hit attack for St. Joseph’s, and Peter O’Brien, Healey and Ronan Chisholm each provided three hits.
Hugh Barrett picked up the victory with an inning of relief, allowing a run on a solo homer to Ryan McCarthy.
SOFTBALL
ST. JOSEPH’S 10, SAGE 3: The Monks (2-2) took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, paced by a pinch-hit two-run single from Alexis Davis, and added four in the fifth as they handled the Gators (1-5) in Leesburg, Florida.
Bailey Rassol was 3 for 3 and drove in a pair of runs for St. Joseph’s, and Laurel Clace added three hits, including a double.
Meredith Pence went the first 5 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits, striking out six and walking five.
EMERSON 5, ST. JOSEPH’S 2: Calli Pratt lined a triple to right-center, driving in a pair of runs to break up a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the second and Mackenzie Killough followed with an RBI single as the Lions (3-0) held off the Monks (2-3) at Leesburg, Florida.
Emerson opened with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, but St. Joseph’s answered with two runs, courtesy of an RBI double from Emily Eagleston and a run-scoring single from Kayley Tighe.
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