Bears garner playoff berth UMaine to battle Albany Thursday

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Maine softball team on Sunday clinched the fourth and final spot for this week’s America East Championship tournament by completing a sweep of its three-game series against Hartford.

The Black Bears won Sunday’s game 9-5 after winning 6-2 and 4-0 in Saturday’s doubleheader.

Coach Deb Smith’s UMaine team (25-20), the tourney host, meets No. 1 Albany (34-16) in Thursday’s 2:30 p.m. first-round game at Kessock Field in Orono. It is a four-team, double-elimination event that runs through Saturday. Second-seeded Stony Brook (29-31) plays No. 3 Boston University (23-30) in Thursday’s tournament opener at noon.

In Sunday’s game, Amy Kuhl hit an RBI single in the first inning and a three-run home run in the third as UMaine prevailed.

Lindsey Tibbetts collected three singles, including an RBI hit in a four-run fifth, for the Bears behind winner Jenna Merchant (9-4), who allowed only one hit and one run in 4 2/3 innings. Lauren Dulkis added an RBI single.

Liz Borawski hit a two-run homer and a single to lead the Hawks.

In Saturday’s first game, UMaine scored three times in the seventh inning to break open a one-run game.

Merchant overcame a shaky first inning with six scoreless innings to close out the game.

Trailing 1-0, the Bears scored an unearned run in the second inning when Jess Brady singled, stole second and later scored on Kuhl’s single to right.

UMaine took the lead in the fourth when Erin Provost led off with a double and rode home on Brady’s one-out single. Elizabeth Foltz had a two-run single to key the Bears’ rally in the seventh.

McKinney, Provost and Kuhl doubled and singled for the Bears, while Dana Grimm had two singles. Briana Hout hit a two-run triple for Hartford.

In Saturday’s second game, Sarah Bennis (8-9) pitched a two-hitter, striking out seven and walking one.

Kuhl doubled home Brady (single) and Brittany Cheney (walk) in the third to give the Bears all the runs they would need. Brady stroked a two-run triple in the sixth and also singled twice, while Kuhl added a single to her double.

Mallory Rapoza and Diana Mancusi singled for Hartford.

(Saturday’s First Game)

Maine 011 100 3 – 6 12 0

Hartford 200 000 0 – 2 5 1

Merchant and Soule; Graves and Thompson

(Saturday’s Second Game)

Maine 002 002 0 – 4 8 0

Hartford 000 000 0 – 0 2 0

Bennis and Tibbetts; McMillon and Thompson

(Sunday’s Game)

Maine (25-20) 103 041 0 – 9 10 2

Hartford (14-24) 000 102 2 – 5 8 3

Merchant, Bennis (5), Merchant (7) and Tibbetts; Graves, Eichler (5) and Thompson, Whitehead (6)