The University of Maine softball team (20-23,7-10) ended their season down in Stony Brook, New York, taking on the Stony Brook University Seawolves (23-20,10-7) for a final series in the regular season. The Black Bears split the doubleheader on Friday, May 4 by losing the first game 7-1 before winning the second game 4-1.
Fourth-year Annie Kennedy got the start in Game 1. She is coming off a complete game loss in which she gave up three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out five against Binghamton on April 29.
For the Seawolves, second-year Melissa Rahrich got the nod in the circle. She came into the game with an 11-9 record and a 4.27 ERA.
Stony Brook scored in each of the first four innings. The scoring started with third-year catcher Irene Rivera lacing a double to left field, bringing Rahrich home to give the Seawolves a 1-0 lead.
In the second, fourth-year shortstop Chelsea Evans poked a single through the middle, bringing fourth-year left fielder Ileana Torres home to extend the lead to 2-0.
In the third, Torres brought Rivera home when Maine third-year third baseman Alyssa Derrick committed her second error of the game. The defensive miscue led to Stony Brook extending their lead to 3-0.
The Seawolves tripled their lead in the fourth when Rivera launched a three-run home run to right center, putting them up 6-0.
The Black Bears got on the board in the sixth when third-year catcher Maddie Decker lined a single to right center, plating fourth-year right fielder Erika Leonard and cutting into the deficit at 6-1.
Stony Brook got the run back in the bottom half of the inning when Maine fourth-year reliever Molly Flowers uncorked a wild pitch, plating first-year Danielle Petrovich to give the Seawolves a 7-1 lead. That would be the final run of the game.
Kennedy was charged with the loss, giving up six runs (fived earned) on eight hits. She did not issue a walk while striking out two.
Rahrich pitched a complete game, giving up one run on three hits with six strikeouts. She did not walk a batter and was credited with the win. Rivera finished the game with three hits, two runs scored and four runs batted in.
Black Bears split doubleheader
The Black Bears used a four-run fifth inning to pick up the split in the doubleheader, downing the Seawolves 4-1.
First-year Kyleigh O’Donnell got the start for the Black Bears in Game 2. O’Donnell is coming off a start against Binghamton in which she gave up six earned runs on eight hits over 6.1 innings. She walked two and struck out three.
The Seawolves started third year Lindsey Hughes. Hughes was coming off a three-hit shutout with one walk and six strikeouts against Seton Hall.
Stony Brook got on the board first when O’Donnell heaved a wild one, allowing Rahrich to score and the Seawolves to go up 1-0.
Maine turned the tables in the fifth when third-year shortstop Laurine German punched a single to right, scoring fourth-year Sarah Coyne to tie the game at 1-1. First-year left fielder Shanna Scribner was thrown out trying to score. A wild pitch brought fourth-year centerfielder Rachel Carlson around, giving the Black Bears the 2-1. That lead was extended to 4-1 when Leonard smacked a triple to right field, scoring two more.
O’Donnell threw a complete game, giving up five hits and one run. She walked two and struck out four in the win.
Hughes was charged with the loss, giving up one run on three hits over 4.1 innings. She walked two and struck out two. Second-year Taylor Pechin gave up three runs over 2.2 innings of work, with four walks to just one strikeout.
Maine drops regular season finale
The Black Bears fell in the rubber match on Saturday, May 5, losing 6-2 to the Seawolves.
The Black Bears sent Flowers to the circle for the start. She gave up one run over two innings in her previous appearance in relief of Kennedy. For the Seawolves, Rahrich would get the nod. She had tossed a complete game in the first game of the series.
Stony Brook struck first when Flowers hit first-year second baseman Nicole McCarvill with the bases loaded to put them up 1-0 in the first inning.
Evans led off the second with a walk. Third-year centerfielder Katelyn Corr then tripled down the right field line to bring her home, extending the lead to 2-0.
Sloppy defense was the Black Bears’ downfall in the sixth. Errors by third-year second baseman Meghan Royle and fourth-year first baseman Kristen Niland helped load the bases before Rahrich launched a grand slam into left center field to give the Seawolves a 6-0 lead.
Maine prevented the shutout from happening in the seventh, when German hit a single up the middle. Scribner and Niland both came in to score, but Rahrich recorded the final out of the game to give Stony Brook the win.
Rahrich went the distance for the Seawolves, giving up two unearned runs on eight hits. She struck out three and did not issue a free pass.
Flowers was charged with the loss. She gave up two runs on four hits over four innings. She walked four and struck out three.
Maine will be back in action on Wednesday, May 9 when they head to Vestal, New York to take on Binghamton University in the America East playoffs. First pitch is at 11 a.m. Stony Brook’s opponent in the America East playoff has yet to be determined.