GORHAM, Maine – Senior Ashley Tinsman (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) and graduate student Kirsten Pelletier (West Gardiner, Maine/Messalonskee) each had career-best days to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a non-conference doubleheader sweep of the Saint Joseph's (Maine) College Monks 7-2 and 15-0 (5 innings) Tuesday afternoon at the USM Softball Stadium.
Pelletier moved to 6-0 on the season in a game-one win, striking out a season and USM career-best 14, while Tinsman collected eight RBI over two games, including a USM single game record seven RBI in the 15-0 game two triumph. Senior Alexis Brown (Malden, Mass.) also moved to 6-0 holding the Monks hitless in her game two victory. With the pair of wins, Southern Maine continues the program's best start and improves to 16-1-1 overall. Saint Joseph's falls to 4-6 with two losses.
GAME ONE: Southern Maine 7, Saint Joseph's 2
- Pelletier was dominant in the circle earning her sixth win of the season and improve to 6-0. After giving up three hits and two runs in the top of the first, Pelletier settled in limiting SJC to just two more hits and overpowered SJC with a career-best 14 strikeouts.
- Down 2-0, USM came right back in the bottom of the first scoring four runs on four hits and taking advantage of two costly SJC errors. Tinsman drove in the first run of the game with RBI single to right, while sophomore Lauren Leidemann-Smith (South Berwick, Maine/Marshwood) evened the score with an RBI single. Senior Erin Martin (Biddeford, Maine) put the Huskies ahead 4-2 with a two run single to left.
- Both teams were scoreless over the next three and a half innings and the score remained 4-2 as Pelletier picked up eight of her 14 Ks during that stretch
- With Pelletier in command, USM scored three runs fifth to put the game out of reach 7-2. USM scored three runs (two unearned) in the inning as the Monks made a pair of throwing errors to clear the basest. Junior Kaitlyn Nelson (Guildhall, Vermont/White Mountains Regional) led off the inning with a bunt single.
- Pelletier added three more strikeouts over the final two SJC innings for the win.
- Sophomore Olivia Howe (Arundel, Maine/Thornton Academy) and senior Megan Eagleston (Reading, Mass.) each drove in a run for SJC. Howe was 2-for-3 with a run scored.
- Howe and freshman Lydia Howarth (Kennebunkport, Maine) each had a double.
GAME TWO: Southern Maine 15, Saint Joseph's 0 (5 innings)
- Tinsman set a USM single-game record for RBI with seven as the Huskies tagged the SJC pitcher for 15 hits and 15 runs. Tinsman was responsible for USM's first seven runs of the game, getting started with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first. She then hit a grand slam in the second for her fifth home run of the season before putting USM up 7-0 with an RBI single through the right side.
- Freshmen Madison Day (Otisfield, Maine/Oxfords), Hannah Shields (Buckfield, Maine), Belle Snyder (Epping, N.H.) and Jadyn Cunningham (Barrington, N.H.) each had RBIs for the Huskies in the fourth, and sophomore Rona Scott (Beverly, Mass.) connected for her first collegiate home run with a grand slam of her own to give the Huskies a 15-0 advantage forcing the eight-run rule.
- Brown was outstanding in game two, throwing a five-inning no-hitter with six strikeouts.
INSIDE THE STATS:
- Pelletier's 14 strikeouts are two off of the single game record held by Husky Hall of Famer Katie Mainville '06. Mainville reached 16 Ks twice in her career. Pelletier is tied for fifth in single-game performances with her 14, which was most recently done by Sammi Goode in 2016 against UMass Dartmouth.
- Tinsman's seven RBIs beat out five former Huskies who had six in a game: Courtney Davis vs. Bates in 2015, Anita Dixon vs. St. Lawrence in 2008, Kristina Grondin vs. Eastern Connecticut in 2007, Sarah McLean vs. UMaine Farmington in 2002 and Melissa Buccieri vs. Bridgewater State in 2000.
- Tinsman's two home runs in a game are tied with six former Huskies and one off the record held by McLean vs. UMaine Farmington on April 13, 2000.
COURTESY OF USM SPORTS INFORMATION
