GORHAM, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (15-15) suffered a pair of walk-off losses at the University of Southern Maine (13-15) in non-conference softball action on Thursday. The Huskies prevailed by an 8-7 score in 10 innings in the opener and clinched the doubleheader sweep with a 3-2 nightcap triumph.
SOUTHERN MAINE 8, SAINT JOSEPH'S 7 (10 inn.):
The Monks kicked off the scoring in the top of the first, when junior Lydia Goodnough (Kennebunkport, Maine) knocked in a pair with a two-out single.
The Huskies answered with a run in the bottom of the second and claimed a 4-2 lead when Lauren Merrill roped a three-run double in the bottom of the fifth.
St. Joe's chipped away at the deficit with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings, when sophomore Sylvia Foley (Scarborough, Maine) and freshman Charlotte Cloutier (Lewiston, Maine) delivered RBI base knocks.
In extras, the Monks and Huskies traded runs in the eighth frame and both teams sent home a pair in the ninth to make it a 7-7 game going into the 10th. Saint Joseph's had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the 10th but could not convert, ostensibly leaving the door open for the Huskies, who walked off in the bottom of the inning with a fielder's choice off the bat of Hannah Shields, allowing Meaghan Dufresne to score.
IN THE CIRCLE:
SJC senior starter Meredith Pence (Remington, Va.) allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and four walks in five innings before giving way to classmate Sydney Hatch (Newburgh, Maine), who suffered the loss after giving up four runs (one earned) on three hits over four frames.
USM starter Lauren Merrill gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks with four strikeouts in six innings while reliever Belle Snyder earned the victory after yielding three unearned runs on five hits and three walks with a pair of K's in four frames.
AT THE BAT:
- Cloutier went 3-5 with an RBI
- Foley was 2-5 with a run and a pair of RBI
- Freshmen Hannah Gosselin (Biddeford, Maine) and Sadie Tirrell (Naples, Maine) produced two hits apiece
- Goodnough went 1-2 with a run, two RBI, three walks, and a pair of stolen bases
- For USM, Merrill was 2-4 with a run, a double, and three RBI while Shields and Kendall Migliorini knocked in two runs apiece
SOUTHERN MAINE 3, SAINT JOSEPH'S 2:
After three scoreless innings, the Monks snapped the stalemate with two runs on three hits in the top of the fourth. Foley drove in senior Olivia Howe (Arundel, Maine) – who reached with a single – with a double to left-center and eventually scored on a sac fly off the bat of sophomore Rylee Page (Somersworth, N.H.).
The Huskies tied the game when Rona Scott belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth and completed the two-game sweep with another walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh, when pinch hitter Ella Bezanson singled home Brook Kulis with the bases loaded.
IN THE CIRCLE:
SJC senior starter Emily Eagleston (Reading, Mass.) took the loss after allowing three runs on eight hits with three strikeouts in six innings. Southern Maine starter Lexus McIntosh went the distance, allowing two runs off five hits and four walks with three punchouts to earn the victory.
OFF THE BAT:
- Foley was 1-3 with a run, a double, and an RBI
- For the Huskies, Merrill went 2-3 with a run and a double and Scott was 1-3 with a two-run homer
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's will host conference foe Rivier University in a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 12:00 PM.
