The University of Maine softball team dropped three of four games this past week to fall to 15-16 on the season. Their sweep at the hands of America East powerhouse Stony Brook University dips their conference record to 6-8 in 2014.
The Black Bears return to action next weekend when they face off in a three-game set against conference foe Binghamton University that begins April 26 at noon. UMaine will honor its seniors on Senior Day during Sunday’s series finale.
Black Bears drop Division-III Husson
The University of Maine softball team geared up for their weekend series against Stony Brook University with a convincing 6-1 victory over Husson University Thursday afternoon. Husson drops to 15-7 with the loss.
UMaine senior pitcher Kylie Sparks had one of her best outings this year, scattering five hits and one run over six innings while striking out five to earn the win.
The Black Bears got to Husson junior starter Amanda Ryan early when, in the bottom of the second, freshman third baseman Shelby Obert walked and freshman first baseman Maddie Moore singled her to third. Freshman center fielder Samantha Ralphs caught the defense off-guard with a bunt down the first base line, scoring Obert and giving the Black Bears a 1-0 lead.
UMaine scored again in the third thanks to freshman shortstop Felicia Lennon who led off with a walk before advancing to third on a single from junior right fielder Jessica Burk and scoring on a deep sacrifice fly to center by junior designated hitter EmJ Fogel for the 2-0 advantage.
Lennon scored two runs on the day to go along with two hits and a pair of walks, reaching base in each of her at-bats.
The Hawks responded just a half-inning later when freshman right fielder Allie Hill sliced a double to the right-center field gap and was moved to third on a single from freshman shortstop Lyndsey Merrill. Sophomore first baseman Chelsea Brennan doubled home Hill to cut the lead to one and give the Hawks their lone run of the game.
The Black Bears broke things open in the fifth.
Junior second baseman Kristen Koslosky singled up the middle and Lennon doubled to left to put runners at second and third. Burk grounded out to shortstop, scoring the speedy Koslosky from third before Fogel knocked in Lennon with a line drive single up the middle. Fogel’s .341 batting average this season is good enough for sixth in America East.
UMaine senior catcher Jean Stevens crushed a two-run homer to left field, pushing the advantage to 6-1. The dinger was Stevens’ second of the season, tied for second on the team behind Burk’s three.
Ryan finished the inning but was replaced in the sixth by sophomore pitcher Kayla Merrill. Ryan fell to 7-5 with the loss, giving up 10 hits and six runs over her five innings of work. Kayla Merrill would pitch just one inning, giving up two hits without a run.
Sparks cruised through six innings before junior pitcher Alexis Bogdanovich was given an inning of work. Bogdanovich struck out two and gave up one hit to seal the win for the Black Bears.
Seawolves hold Black Bears to one run in three-game series
America East heavyweight Stony Brook swept the Black Bears this past weekend with 1-0 and 3-1 wins in a doubleheader on Saturday before taking the series finale 2-0 Sunday afternoon.
Stevens provided the Black Bears only tally on the weekend with a solo home run in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. The Seawolves improve to 25-14 and 13-1 in America East action.
Samantha Ralphs tallied two singles in game one on Saturday, but the rest of the lineup was unable to bring her home. Junior outfielder Jessica Burk hit singles in all three games to up her hitting streak to nine straight games.
Game One was scoreless through three innings before the Seawolves broke up the tie in the fourth.
Their rally began with two outs in the bottom of the inning when sophomore infielder Melissa Phelan hit a double to deep center field. Freshman infielder Lexie Shue came in to pinch run for Phelan and reached home on the next at bat when sophomore catcher Alexandra Pisciotta singled to right field, producing the only run of the ball game.
UMaine’s best scoring chance came in the third inning, but they were unable to capitalize on the opportunity.
Obert and Ralphs both singled cleanly to reach base before Lennon was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Despite the runners in scoring position, Seawolves junior starting pitcher Allison Cukrov got out of the jam to end the inning.
Bogdanovich earned the loss to fall to 4-6 on the season. She posted great numbers, however, pitching six innings with only one earned run, six hits and four strikeouts.
In game two, Stony Brook earned a two-run lead in the third inning that the Black Bears were unable to battle back from.
Senior catcher Nicole Schieferstein scored the Seawolves’ first run on a failed pickoff attempt at third base. Hill, who got the start on the mound for the Black Bears, overthrew the attempt at third, advancing senior infielder Olivia Mintun to third and allowing Schieferstein to walk in for the 1-0 lead.
Junior outfielder Bria Green followed with an RBI bunt, bringing in Mintun to go up 2-0 at the end of the third inning.
The Black Bears tightened the score to one run when Stevens hit a solo homer, her third of the year, in the top of the fifth.
The Seawolves responded in the bottom of the inning when junior infielder Shayla Giosia hit a home run of her own to left center field, increasing the lead back to two runs.
Cukrov kept UMaine in check for the remainder of the contest, retiring the last nine batters of the game.
She started both games of the doubleheader and pitched the entirety of both games, logging an outstanding 14 innings on the mound with just one earned run, six hits and 10 strikeouts. She now has 11 straight wins at the helm for the Sea Wolves.
Hill recorded the loss and falls to 6-4 on the season, giving up three runs on seven hits.
Sunday’s contest was no different. Stony Brook tallied two runs in the third inning and rendered no runs to top the Black Bears 2-0.
Seawolves sophomore infielder Kellie Reynolds led off the third inning by reaching base on a dropped third strike. The Seawolves recorded back-to-back two-out doubles, including one by junior outfielder Jessica Zeilman, which brought in the only two runs scored in the contest for the 2-0 victory.
The Black Bears best scoring opportunity came in the second inning. Burk’s leadoff single got things started, and Stevens followed with a single of her own to center field. A pair of fielder’s choice plays at third base ended the inning for the Black Bears and eliminated their chance to get on the board.
Sallen earned the decision for Stony Brook, allowing no earned runs through seven innings.
Bogdanovich tallied a career high 12 strikeouts in the contest, but the Black Bears didn’t have enough firepower to help her out. She falls to 4-7 on the season, allowing two earned runs and five hits in seven innings.