GORHAM — Bates found its offense early in game two to salvage a split of a non-conference softball doubleheader against University of Southern Maine on Monday afternoon.
After dropping the first game 7-0, the Bobcats (9-17) doubled up the Huskies (23-14) by a 4-2 score in the second game.
Lauren Leidemann had two hits and one RBI to lead USM to a shutout win in game one. Buckfield grad Hannah Shields notched an RBI double and Oxford Hills grad Lauren Merrill allowed six hits in five innings to grab the win on the mound. Oxford Hills classmate Madison Day led USM with three hits.
Sarah Cooke, Eliza McNulty and Aleah Pagan each had an RBI for Bates in the second inning of the Bobcats’ game two win, with Pagan later scoring on a wild pitch. Danielle Polirer picked up the win, striking out five. Samantha Hauck and Morgan Roast both had an RBI in the second inning for USM. Merrill pitched two more shutout innings in relief of Belle Snyder.
LANDRY NAMED ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: Lewiston grad Gemma Landry was named the New England Collegiate Conference Rookie of the Week for the third time this season, the conference announced Monday.
Landry batted .500 for Mitchell College as the Mariners went 4-2. Landry also scored seven runs, drove in another and stole two bases. She leads the Mariners with a .465 batting average and has a conference-best 60 hits.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
BATES WOMEN CLINCH FIRST NESCAC BERTH: For the first time in program history, the Bates women’s tennis team has qualified for the New England Small College Athletic Conference tournament.
The Bobcats clinched a spot in the tournament with a 5-4 win over Hamilton in the regular-season finale Sunday. Bates, which finished 3-7 in conference play, and Hamilton (2-8) were battling for the final spot in the tournament field.
Bates won all three of the doubles matches, and Joanna Atwater (No. 2 singles, No. 2 doubles) and senior Sydney Byrnes (No. 6 singles, No. 3 doubles) both had dual wins.
The Bates men finished their season Sunday, also beating Hamilton 5-4. The Bobcats, who didn’t feature any seniors on their roster this year, didn’t qualify for the NESCAC tournament after finishing with a 2-8 conference record.
MEN’S LACROSSE
WILSON SETS RECORD: Lewiston High School graduate Jayden Wilson was named tournament MVP after helping the Maine Maritime Academy men’s lacrosse team capture its first North Atlantic Conference championship.
Wilson scored six goals in the Mariners’ 21-18 win over SUNY Canton on Sunday in Utica, New York. Wilson also had two assists, giving him eight points in the game, which makes him the Maine Maritime record holder for points in a season. The senior has 50 goals and 36 assists — both rank first on the team — for 86 points.
Winning the NAC title advances the Mariners to the NCAA Division III tournament.
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