Black Bears end skid, sweep NAC doubleheader from Hawks

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ORONO – The University of Maine softball team broke a 10-game losing streak Friday, winning both games of a North Atlantic Conference doubleheader against Hartford, displaying sheer motivation in its home openers.

The 12-4 win in the second game, which was called after five innings on the eight-run rule, spoke nothing of the first game, a 7-6, 11-inning struggle witnessed by 150 fans at Lengyel Field. Maine is now 12-20-1, 2-6 in the NAC, while Hartford dropped to 8-15-1, 2-8 in the league.

Mary Persson took the win in relief in the opener, allowing one hit, walking two and striking out two in three innings. Maine starter Jen Burton scattered 11 hits, walking two and striking out four, in seven innings of work.

“We needed a win and they just kept coming back,” UMaine coach Janet Anderson said. “Every time Hartford went ahead, Maine battled back.”

The lead switched four times in the opener before Maine rallied back the final time in the nick of time after the game went into extra innings.

Hartford charged ahead with a passion in the top of the eighth to tie the game when Danielle Simoneau let out a huge grunt and slammed a triple to center field to drive in two runners and put Hartford up 6-4.

In the bottom of the eighth, Nicole Bourget’s fly ball was caught by Hartford shortstop Gertner Leslie and Hawk center fielder Jamie Janorosk stopped Mary Wells’ line drive with a diving catch, the Bears managed to put three runners on base. Melissa Creegan and Kelly Dow both got base hits. Creegan stole third, but Michelle Puls took first on a walk anyway to load the bases.

Then Maine first basemen Shelly Lefevre stepped up to the classic pressure situation. With two outs, Lefevre faced an 0-2 count.

“I’ve been playing 10 years, so I’ve been in pressure situations before,” a confident Lefevre said. “Not this season, but plenty of times before. In that situation, you just hit the ball.”

The Bears co-captain did just that with a line drive to center field that brought home Creegan and Dow to tie the game one last time.

It was Kathryn Murphy who pushed the Bears past the Hawks, who Maine beat 7-3 in its first meeting March 16 in Ocoee, Fla.

In the bottom of the 11th, Murphy stepped to the plate with two outs and broke open the game. With Lefevre on second, Murphy slapped a line drive that skimmed Hawk center fielder Amy Sabo’s glove and continued into the outfield, sending Lefevre home.

Black Bears 7, Hawks 6

(First Game, 11 inns.)

Hartford (8-15-1) Maine (12-20-1)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Sabo, cf 4 1 0 0 Wells, 3b 4 0 0 1

Gertner, ss 3 1 1 0 Creegan, 2b 6 2 2 0

Kupka, dp 4 2 1 0 Pula, ss 5 2 2 0

Simoneau, p 5 0 2 3 Dow, c 4 0 1 0

Hewitt, c 4 0 1 1 Lefevre, 1b 6 1 1 2

DiMella, 3b 5 0 0 0 Cassie, dp 4 0 1 0

Jaworski, lf 5 2 4 1 Murphy, cf 5 1 1 0

St. Onge, 2b 3 0 2 0 Gamache, lf 4 1 1 0

Elliot, 1b 4 0 1 0 Bourget, rf 5 0 1 0

Wilcox, rf 0 0 0 0 Pace, pr 0 0 0 0

Young pr 0 0 0 0

Totals 37 6 12 5 Totals 43 7 10 3

a-

b-

Hartford 210 000 120 00 – 6

Maine 010 021 020 01 – 7

E – Bourget, Gertner, Sabo 2B – Bourget 3B – Simoneau LOB – Maine 13, Hartford 6 DP – Maine (2) S – Gertner, Elliot, Gamache, St. Onge (2) SF – Wells

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Hartford

Simoneau (L,6-6) 10 2/3 10 7 4 7 4

Maine

Burton 7 11 6 5 2 4

Persson (W,4-10) 3 1 0 0 2 2

WP – Burton, Simoneau 3, Persson PB – Hewitt TIME – 2:42 SL: BEARSOFT2

PAGE: 3ATTENDANCE – 150

Black Bears 12, Hawks 4

(Second Game, 5 inns.)

Hartford Maine

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Sabo, lf 3 1 2 0 Wells, 3b 4 0 0 0

Gertner, ss 3 1 2 0 Creegan, 2b 3 2 1 0

Kupka, dp 3 1 0 0 Puls, ss 3 3 1 2

Simoneau, cf 2 1 1 3 Dow, dp 3 1 1 0

Hewitt, c 2 0 1 1 Lefevre, 1b 3 1 1 1

DiMella, 3b 3 0 1 0 Cassie, rf 2 2 0 1

St. Onge, 2b 3 0 1 0 Murphy, cf 3 3 3 1

Elliot, 1b 2 0 1 0 Harrington, c 2 0 0 0

Wilcox, rf 2 0 0 0 Gamache, lf 3 0 2 3

Christensen, c 1 0 0 0 DeShane, rf 1 0 1 1

Sullivan, ph 0 0 0 0

Totals 24 4 9 4 Totals 27 12 10 9

Hartford 004 00 – 4

Maine 215 22 – 12

E – DiMella (2), Creegan, St. Onge, Hewitt, Elliot (2) 2B – Simoneau, Hewitt, Gamache 3B – Puls LOB – Maine 9, Hartford 6 DP – Maine 1 SB – Cassie, Simoneau, Creegan S – Harrington

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Hartford

Love (L,2-7) 3 5 8 2 2 4

Dvorak 1 5 4 4 1 1

Maine

Persson (W,5-10) 5 9 4 3 0 3

HBP – Cassie (by Kupka), Simoneau (by Persson) WP – Love 5 TIME – 1:37