The University of Maine stayed alive in the losers’ bracket of the America East softball tournament on Wednesday, beating Bryant University 11-1 at Baltimore.
The Black Bears (14-28) took the lead for good with three unearned runs in the top of the third inning against the Bulldogs (19-29)
Jasmine Gray had a two-run homer and a double, driving in three runs for Maine, and Grace McGouldrick and Krista Francia added two hits apiece.
Earlier in the day, the Black Bears were beaten by Albany, 7-3. Jordan Nastos had two hiots and two RBI for the Great Danes, who pulled ahead with a four-run second inning.
McGouldrick was 3 for 4 and scored a run for Maine in the first game.
The Black Bears next play at 4 p.m. Thursday in the losers’ bracket.
SOUTHERN MAINE 2, UMASS BOSTON 0: Dory Kulis lined a single to center to drive in Mackenzie Renner and Hannah Sheil added an RBI single as the third-seeded Huskies (20-19) topped the sixth-seeded Beacons (20–20) in their opening-round game in the Little East Tournament at Mansfield, Connecticut.
Belle Snyder picked up the victory, throwing four scoreless innings without surrendering a hit, striking out seven and walking a pair.
Southern Maine next faces second-seeded UMass-Dartmouth on Thursday.
UNE SPLITS: Kenzie Bessett went 3 for 3, including a two-run blast, as the sixth-seeded Nor’easters (12-26) blanked Suffolk 8-0 in six innings and advanced in the losers’ bracket of the Commonwealth Coast tournament at Springfield, Massachusetts.
Grace Tutt and Makenzy Herron each had RBI singles for UNE (12-26), and Megan Chamberlain added a two-run homer.
Mia Micucci threw a two-hitter, fanning two and walking two.
Earlier in the day, UNE was beaten by Wentworth, 3-2.
The Nor’easters face third-seeded Wentworth in the losers’ bracket on Thursday.
BASEBALL
SOUTHERN MAINE 14, UMASS-BOSTON 4: The third-seeded Huskies (18-19) took the lead for good with four runs in the bottom of the third, paced by a two-run double from Jason Komulainen, in beating the fourth-seeded Beacons (22-17) in the opening round of the Little East Tournament at Providence, Rhode Island.
USM’s Brogan Searle-Belanger went 2 for 4 with five RBI with a double and a three-run blast in the fifth, and Kyle Douin added three hits.
The Huskies next face second-seeded Eastern Connecticut at 2 p.m. Thursday in the double elimination tournament.
MERRIMACK 1, MAINE 0: Braydon Dolbashian lined a double down the left-field line, driving in Alex Haba in the bottom of the seventh as the Warriors (19-26) blanked the Black Bears (24-18) in a nonconference game at Andover, Massachusetts.
Seven Merrimack pitchers combined on a no-hitter.
Andrew Chevarie took the loss, throwing an inning of relief, striking out one.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
USC: Southern California’s basketball roster is getting more star-studded by the moment.
The Trojans had already landed Bronny James, son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James. Now, D.J. Rodman has announced on social media that he’s transferring to USC, which confirmed his addition.
The son of NBA rebounding great Dennis Rodman played the last four seasons at Washington State. The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds, starting 30 of 31 games for the Cougars last season.
Rodman graduated from WSU with a degree in communications. He will take advantage of an NCAA rule allowing an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic to play for the Trojans close to his hometown of Newport Beach.
FOOTBALL
DARTMOUTH: Sammy McCorkle will serve as Dartmouth’s interim coach for the 2023 football season while Buddy Teevens recovers from a bicycle accident that resulted in the amputation of his right leg.
McCorkle was elevated from associate head coach to acting head coach on April 4 for spring practices.
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