Bears’ Bennis blanks ‘Cats Merchant leads Maine to sweep

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ORONO – The pitching numbers Sarah Bennis has put up so far this season have been impressive.

The University of Maine sophomore is among the league leaders in earned run average, fewest hits allowed, strikeouts per game, and plenty of other statistical catagories.

But her record? Well, it’s not as pretty.

Bennis, who was 2-7 heading into Friday’s America East softball doubleheader against Binghamton, has been the bad-luck victim of poor run support as the Black Bears have struggled at the plate.

Maine didn’t put up huge offensive numbers Friday. But Bennis and fellow pitcher Jenna Merchant both threw well, and the defense was stellar as the Black Bears swept the Bearcats 2-0 and 2-1 Friday afternoon in the home opener at Kessock Field.

The Bears, winners of three straight, go to 15-13 (3-2 in America East). Binghamton fell to 9-11-1 (2-2). The two teams meet again today at noon to complete the three-game season series.

Bennis didn’t have to wait long for her lead in the first game as UMaine capitalized on two Binghamton errors in the first inning.

“I was a pitcher, so I know what it’s like to be in her shoes,” Maine coach Deb Smith said. “Coming out, getting those two runs, it allows you to relax and just throw. She could just go out and pitch.”

Brittany Cheney and Jess Brady of Jackman led off with back-to-back singles, and after a flyout and a strikeout, Shannon Sirois put a ball into play to Binghamton shortstop Rose Barre. She bobbled a throw to second, allowing Cheney to score. Brady came in when right fielder Leigh Ann Savidge dropped a fly ball.

“It was good, especially to get the two runs in the first inning, just to get the monkey off your back,” said Pownal’s Bennis. “I just think the whole tone of the first inning was really good. We let them make the mistakes.”

The Black Bears had only five hits in the rest of the game and didn’t get anyone past second base, but Maine’s top-rated defense sealed the win. The Bears recorded a combined 16 flyouts and putouts, including lead runners at third and second.

In the second inning, center fielder Brady made a spectacular running catch with her back to the ball. Shortstop Cheney made a fine play later in the inning when Bennis tipped a ground ball hit back to her. Cheney quickly ran in to pick it up and throw to first baseman Nicole Taylor of Chelsea, who had to stretch for the out.

Bennis struck out five and walked two. Binghamton’s team batting average of .296 was the best in the league entering Friday’s doubleheader, but the Bearcats had just three hits in the two games from the top of their lineup.

“I was trying to mix it up, keep them off balance, use the inside and the outside,” Bennis said.

Binghamton’s Marybeth Yerdon had a double and a single.

In the second game, little mistakes again plagued the Bearcats.

Binghamton pitcher Michelle Weeks opened the bottom of the fifth inning by hitting Maine’s Amy Kuhl. Pinch runner Tara Vilardo advanced all the way to third on an error by Bearcat shortstop Rose Barre, and Brady’s infield single brought in Vilardo with the eventual game-winner.

“That’s kind of what’s been hurting us lately. If you look at the defense Maine played today, they played better than we did,” said Binghamton coach Holly Brown. “That’s what the game’s like. No matter how well the pitchers pitch, you have to back them up.”

Dana Grimm’s infield single in the first inning plated Brady, who reached on an error, advanced to second on a Lauren Dulkis single and to third on a fielder’s choice.

“It’s just a matter of getting hits together,” said Dulkis, who went 3-for-6 Friday. “The last game last weekend, these two games, we’ve done great hitting. We did it in practice a lot this week.”

Binghamton’s Nicole Vitello tied the game in the sixth when she doubled, advanced to third on a Jessica Chellis sacrifice fly, and scored on a Jessica Dima double.

“Binghamton made some good contact, but the defense was right there to back it up,” Smith said.

Merchant scattered seven hits and is now 4-2.

BLACK BEARS 2, BEARCATS 0

(First Game)

Binghamton (9-10-1) Maine (14-13)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Barre, ss 4 0 0 0 Cheney, ss 3 1 0

Savidge, rf 3 0 1 0 Brady, cf 3 1 0

Vitello, 2b 2 0 0 0 Dulkis, 3b 3 0 0

Chellis, c 3 0 0 0 McKinney, dh 3 0 0

Dima, cf 3 0 0 0 Sirois, rf 3 0 0

Eppolito, 3b 3 0 1 0 Grimm, lf 3 0 0

DeStasio, dh 2 0 0 0 Tibbetts, c 2 0 0

c-Dorrell 0 0 0 0 b-Kuhl 1 0 0 0

Yerdon, 1b 2 0 2 0 Taylor, 1b 3 0 0

a-Verrusio 0 0 0 0 Asadoorian, 2b 3 0 0

Sweeney, lf 3 0 1 0

Totals 25 0 5 0 Totals 27 2 7 0

a-ran for Yerdon in the 5th; b-flied out for Tibbetts in the sixth; c-ran for DeStasio in the 7th

Binghamton 000 000 0 ? 0

Maine 200 000 x ? 2

E?Barre, Savidge; LOB?Binghamton 7, Maine 7; 2B?Yerdon

Binghamton IP H R ER BB SO

Hansen (L, 5-6) 6 7 2 0 0 7

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Bennis (W, 3-7) 7 5 0 0 2 5

WP?Hansen; T?1:53; ATT?75 (est.)

BLACK BEARS 2, BEAR CATS 1

(Second Game)

Binghamton (9-11-1) Maine (15-13)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Barre, ss 4 0 0 0 Cheney, ss 2 0 0

Savidge, rf 3 0 0 0 Brady, cf 2 1 1

Vitello, 2b 3 1 2 0 Dulkis, 3b 3 0 0

Chellis, c 2 0 0 0 Provost, lf 3 0 0

Dima, cf 2 0 2 1 Grimm, rf 3 0 1

Eppolito, 3b 3 0 1 0 Merchant, p 2 0 0

DeStasio, dh 3 0 0 0 Taylor, 1b 2 0 0

Yerdon, 1b 3 0 1 0 Kuhl, dh 2 0 0

a-Verrusio 0 0 0 0 b-Vilardo 0 1 0

Sweeney, lf 2 0 1 0 Soule, c 0 0 0

Asadoorian, 2b 2 0 0 0

Totals 25 1 7 1 Totals 21 2 5 2

a-ran for Yerdon in the 2nd; b-ran for Kuhl in the 4th

Binghamton 000 001 0 ? 1

Maine 100 100 x ? 2

E?Barre, Yerdon; LOB?Binghamton 6, Maine 7; 2B?Vitello 2, Dima; DP?Savidge-Yerdon, Eppolito-Yerdon; S?Chellis, Sweeney; Asadoorian; SF?Chellis; SB?Brady, Provost

Binghamton IP H R ER BB SO

Weeks (L, 3-5) 6 5 2 1 4 6

Home IP H R ER BB SO

Merchant (W, 4-2) 7 7 1 1 1 2

HBP?Kuhl by Weeks; T?2:05; ATT?100 (est.)