DARTHMOUTH, Mass.- The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth dropped a close contest against the University of Southern Maine, falling 5-4 in extra innings. The matchup was a defensive battle until Southern Maine tied the ballgame at 2 in the top of the seventh. The second outing of the doubleheader ended in a 2-2 tie.
GAME 1 | Southern Maine 5, UMass Dartmouth 4
The Corsairs (0-5-1) opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first inning after an RBI ground out from freshman
Hailey Lyons (Hayden, Idaho) scored senior
Kylie Fletcher (Dighton, Mass.). Fletcher singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a passed ball to set up the first run of the ballgame. A pitcher's duel ensued over the next five innings as neither team was able to cross the plate. UMass Dartmouth utilized the same recipe as in the top of the first to extend its lead in the bottom half of the sixth as Lyons once again drove in Fletcher.
Southern Maine (7-0-1) countered with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning, taking advantage of two defensive miscues. A pair of RBI singles from senior Samantha Hauck (Painted Post, N.Y.) and sophomore Hannah Shields (Buckfield, Maine) drove in senior Rona Scott (Beverley, Mass.) and senior Kayla Horner (Westbrook, Maine) to force extra innings.
As the game headed to extras, the Huskies opened up the scoring as they put up three runs in the top of the eighth inning. A pair of doubles from Scott and sophomore Lauren Leidemann-Smith (South Berwick, Maine) proved to be the difference for Southern Maine. A late RBI triple from Fletcher cut the lead to 5-4, but UMassD was unable to complete the rally.
Senior
Jill Richards (Kingston, Mass.) made her third start of the season. She limited the visitors to five runs, only two of which were earned, on 10 hits, while striking out five in her complete-game performance. Richards retired the first six batters she faced in order. She also set eight Huskies down in order between the fourth and sixth innings. Freshman Lauren Merrill (Bethel, Maine) earned the victory, tossing seven plus innings. Senior Alexis Brown (Malden, Mass.) collected the save by recording the final three outs and stranding the tying run on in scoring position.
GAME 2 | UMass Dartmouth 2, Southern Maine 2
Southern Maine rode the momentum of the comeback victory into the nightcap as Leidemann-Smith launched a two-run homer over the left field fence to give the Huskies an early 2-0 advantage. A pitching showdown between Corsair freshmen
Kaitlyn Shirshac (Enfield, Conn.) and Husky Belle Snyder (Epping, N.H.) kept the score knotted at 2-0 until the bottom of the fifth. Shirshac struck out eight, allowing just four hits in her complete-game performance.
The Corsairs found the board thanks to a single from senior
Leah Major (Fairhaven, Mass.) that brought home Fletcher and Shirshac. Fletcher's quick base running once again put her in scoring position, stealing her second base of the day.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action on Friday, April 2, when the Corsairs face nationally-ranked Eastern Connecticut in a Little East Conference doubleheader. Game 1 is scheduled for 2pm. Fans can catch all the action live at www.littleeast.tv.
