USM eliminated from LEC baseball tournament

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ORONO – The University of Southern Maine entered Saturday with a 2-0 record in the Little East Conference Tournament but dropped a 14-4 decision to Keene State College in Game 7 and had a 5-4 loss to Eastern Connecticut State University in Game 9.

The games were moved to Mahaney Diamond because of rain in Gorham.

Eastern Connecticut advances to play the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for the Little East championship. The Huskies have to wait until Sunday night or Monday morning to know it they have been awarded an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament.

In Game 7, Nick Arroyo hit a single, double and a home run to drive in five runs for Keene State. Jeff Perkins doubled twice with two RBIs.

Ryan Bourque and Stefan Black both singled twice for the Huskies of Gorham.

In Game 9, Greg Sullivan hit a triple and two singles for Eastern Connecticut while Shawn Gilbair and Chris Desantis each doubled with an RBI.

Bourque and Nick Vardaro had two singles and an RBI each for Southern Maine.

(Game 7)

Keene State (31-12) 413 000 042 – 14 13 1

So. Maine 000 100 030 – 4 7 4

Mabey, Kohler (8), Binney (8) and Grainger; Rogers, Foley (1), Portwine (3), Stacy (7), Gilbert (8) and Black, Yanni (7)

(Game 9)

So. Maine (29-15) 000 000 130 – 4 10 1

Eastern Conn. (27-17) 400 100 00x – 5 12 5

Ross, Connors (1), Bergeron (8) and Black; Jagodzinski, Davis (7) and Cooney

Softball

Albany wins America East title

At Orono, Casey Halloran scattered six hits while striking out seven and walking none for her third win of the tournament as the Great Danes earned a 5-2 victory over Boston University for their second straight America East conference championship at Kessock Field.

Albany captured the conference’s automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

BU beat Albany 3-1 in the first championship game to force a second game. The Terriers advanced Saturday morning by virtue of a 2-1 win over University of Maryland Baltimore County in a game that was a continuation of a postponed game Friday.

In the first game, BU’s Christy Leath hit a one-out, bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh to beat UMBC. Melanie Denischuk homered for the Retrievers.

In the second game, Leath hit a two-run double in the third and Liz Alley hit a solo home run as the Terriers held off the Great Danes and forced the if-necessary game. Albany’s Kelly Ogden had an RBI double.

In the third game, Albany got home runs from Meagan Larsen and Julie Gannon. Leath added two more RBIs on a home run, a double and a single.

Halloran was named the tournament MVP. Maine pitcher Jenna Balent and right fielder Erin Provost were named to the all-tourney team.

(First Game)

UMBC (46-20) 000 100 0 – 1 2 0

BU (28-28) 100 000 1 – 2 7 0

Nicholson and Griffith; Hardy and Leath

(Second Game)

BU (29-28) 002 100 0 – 3 6 0

Albany (35-11-1) 000 100 0 – 1 3 0

Hardy and Leath; Halloran and Meacham

(Third Game)

Albany (36-11-1) 100 310 0 – 5 8 0

BU (29-29) 100 001 0 – 2 6 1

Halloran and Meacham; Hardy, Detwiler (5) and Leath