Great Danes take two from Black Bears

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ORONO – Two losses wasn’t the way the University of Maine softball team wanted to start off a four-game series against America East’s hottest team.

But spotty defense and inconsistent hitting – along with a disappointing call at the plate – put the Black Bears in a hole, as Albany earned a 4-2 win in the first game of a Friday afternoon doubleheader at a chilly Kessock Field, and went on to a 5-2 victory in the second game.

The Great Danes, who had won four of their last five, go to 21-5, 6-1 in America East play. Maine, which swept a tough Stony Brook team last weekend, falls to 15-15 (4-4).

The squads will meet for another doubleheader at 11 a.m. today.

The Black Bears committed five errors in Friday’s games, including three that resulted in a four-run inning for Albany.

“We kind of just crawled inside of our own heads,” said Niki Taylor of Chelsea, who hit three singles. “It just wasn’t there.”

In the first game, Albany had a three-run lead going into the fifth and the Bears threatened, but the rally fell short after Brittany Cheney was called out at the plate.

Maine’s Amy Kuhl had already hit an RBI single to make it 4-2, and Cheney seemed to cross the plate safely after Jenna Merchant bunted.

Albany coach Chris Cannata appealed to home-plate umpire Dave Dutch. He immediately called back the run, claiming Cheney had jumped over the plate instead of tagging.

Meanwhile, the Danes got Merchant trying for second base, which ended the inning.

Albany’s Kristen Couris earned her sixth win and Andrea Lindgren picked up a save with one hit over two scoreless innings.

Maine outhit Albany 7-6 (and 14-13 in the two games) but the Bears stranded eight runners, while the Danes left three.

“We didn’t hit too well, but timely hitting, that’s what helps,” Cannata said.

In the second game, the Black Bears had an early 2-0 lead and were still up 2-1 when things fell apart in the sixth.

Maine pitcher Sarah Bennis hit Liz Wieboldtto lead off the inning and then Andrea Lindgren got all the way to second on a throwing error. Pinch runner Brittany Burnham scored on the error to tie the game.

Then Ashley Rios singled and got to second on an error, which allowed pinch runner Carly Isaacs to score and give Albany a 3-2 lead. Jess Kostenblatt hit an RBI single later in the inning and another run came in when Jen Nolette hit a grounder to second.Two of Albany’s five runs were earned. Maine righty Bennis allowed five hits, walked three and struck out three.

“I think Benny did a nice job of keeping them off-balance,” Maine coach Deb Smith said. “They hit her hard sometimes and they’re gonna get their base hits … the biggest thing is how we react and control those runners once you get them on base.”

Lindgren fanned eight and walked one for her 11th win.

Maine had chances to rally in the sixth and seventh. After the first out of the sixth inning Taylor and Lauren Dulkis hit back-to-back singles and Erin Provost walked to load the bases. But Bennis grounded into a double play to end it.

The Bears had runners at first and second with one out in the seventh, but two defensive plays ended the game.

GREAT DANES 4, MAINE 2

(First Game)

Albany Maine

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Dunning, 2b 4 1 1 0 Brady, cf 4 0 1

Wieboldt, rf 2 1 1 0 Tibbetts, c 4 0 0

Lindgren, 1b-p 3 1 1 1 a-Belmont 0 0

Rios, dp 3 0 1 0 Cheney, ss 4 0 0

Meacham, c 2 0 0 0 McKinney, rf 3 0 0

Gannon, 1b 0 0 0 0 Kuhl, dp 3 0 1

Larsen, ss 3 0 0 0 Provost, 2b 0 0 0

Kostenblatt, 3b 2 0 0 0 Merchant, p 3 0

Nolette, lf 3 1 1 0 Taylor, 1b 3 1 0

Busch, cf 3 0 1 1 Dulkis, 3b 2 0 0

Kowal, c 0 0 0 0 Grimm, lf 3 0 0

Totals 25 4 6 2 Totals 29 2 7 2

a-ran for Tibbetts in 5th

Albany 102 100 0 ? 4

Maine 010 010 0 ? 2

E?Lindgren, Larsen; Brady, Cheney; LOB?Albany 3, Maine 8; 3B?Nolette; S?Wieboldt; SB?Nolette, Busch

Albany IP H R ER BB SO

Couris (W, 6-1) 5 6 2 1 2 4

Lindgren (S, 3) 2 1 0 0 0 1

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Merchant (L, 7-8) 7 6 4 3 2 2

WP?Merchant; T?1:54; ATT?50

GREAT DANES 5, BLACK BEARS 2

(Second Game)

Albany (21-5) Maine (15-15)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Dunning, 2b 4 0 0 0 Brady, cf 4 0 0

Wieboldt, rf 3 0 0 0 Cheney, ss 4 0 0

b-Burnham 0 1 0 0 McKinney, rf 4 0 0

Lindgren, p 3 0 0 0 Kuhl, 1b 4 0 0

c-Isaac 0 1 0 0 a-Belmont 0 1 0

Rios, dp 4 0 1 0 Taylor, dp 3 0 0

Gannon, 1b 2 1 1 0 Dulkis, 3b 3 1 0

Larsen, ss 3 1 0 0 Provost, lf 2 0 0

Kostenblatt, 3b 1 1 1 1 Bennis, p 3 1

Kowal, c 3 0 1 0 Asadoorian, 2b 2 0 1

Nolette, lf 3 0 1 2 d-Tibbetts 1 0 0

Busch, cf 0 0 0 0 Stevens, c 0 0 0

Totals 26 5 5 3 Totals 30 2 7 2

a- ran for Kuhl in 2nd; b- ran for Wieboldt in 6th; c- ran for Lindgren in 6th; d-singled for Asadoorian in 7th

Albany 000 014 0 ? 5

Maine 020 000 0 ? 2

E?Dunning, Lindgren; Asadoorian 3; LOB?Albany 5, Maine 8; DP?Larsen-Gannon; S?Kostenblatt; SB?Larsen, Kostenblatt, Nolette, Busch

Albany IP H R ER BB SO

Lindgren (W, 11-3) 7 7 2 0 1 8

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Bennis (L, 7-6) 7 5 5 2 3 3

HBP?Wieboldt by Bennis; WP?Lindgren; Bennis; T?2:02; ATT?25