ORONO – The University of Maine softball team opened its 2006 home schedule over the weekend with a Saturday doubleheader inside the new Mahaney Dome practice facility.

The Black Bears rallied in both games to defeat Merrimack College 6-2 and then 5-4 in eight innings.

In the first game, Merrimack took a 2-0 first-inning lead on a two-run home run by Stephanie Simon.

But Erin Provost’s two-out, two-run single tied the game in the bottom of the second, and an RBI single by Brittany Cheney and a two-run single by Molly McKinney gave Maine the lead for good in the fourth.

Tara Vilardo plated Maine’s final run with an RBI single in the fifth.

Courtney Gingrich earned the pitching win with relief help from Sarah Bennis.

In the second game, a bases-loaded single by Marguerite Soule in the bottom of the eighth produced the winning run.

Merrimack broke out to a 3-0 lead, but Maine scored once in the bottom of the third, and Dana Grimm’s two-run double an inning later tied the game.

Merrimack regained the lead with an unearned run in the sixth, but Maine tied the score in the bottom of the seventh on a suicide squeeze by Ashley Waters and allowed Provost to score from third base.

(First Game)

Merrimack 200 000 0 – 2 5 2

Maine 020 310 x – 6 7 1

Pepper, Cotter (4), Wheeler (5) and Vale; Gingrich (Bennis (6) and Foltz, Soule (5)

Southern Maine drops pair

At Fort Myers, Fla., on Saturday, Babson College and Wisconsin-Whitewater each earned victories over the Huskies.

In the first game, Darcy Lantz’s two-out double in the top of the eighth plated the winning run as Babson earned the 3-2 victory.

Southern Maine of Gorham had led 2-1 after two innings on RBI singles by Christen Lachappelle and Katie Martell. But Babson tied the game in the top of the third before winning in the first extra inning.

In the second game, Wisconsin-Whitewater scored five runs in its first two at bats and cruised to a 14-6 win.

Kyley Shramek led the winners with a three-run home run, a double and a single. Dawn Ross paced USM with three singles and an RBI.

(First Game)

Babson (9-3) 101 000 01 -3 6 0

Southern Maine 110 000 00 -2 7 0

Gaskill and Barry; Mainville and Martin

(Second Game)

Wisc. Whitewater (2-0) 230 020 7 -14 9 0

Southern Maine (2-4) 010 000 5 -6 12 3

Harmeyer and Shramak; Riitano and Mills

UM-Farmington sweeps Bay Path

At Longmeadow, Mass., Kate Ross drove in five runs to lead University of Maine-Farmington past Bay Path 15-2 in the first game Saturday.

The Beavers beat Bay Path 10-0 in the second game.

In the fist game, Breanna Conners drove in four runs while Megan McCrum, Sara Martin and Sara Defilipp each had an RBI single for the Beavers.

In the second game, Megan Carman and Liz Bergeron combined for a no-hitter to shut down Bay Path.

Mary Berry hit a two run double while Holly Tripp and Megan Goodrow each added two RBIs.

(First Game)

UM-Farmington 204 027 – 15 15 2

Bay Path 200 000 – 2 7 4

Stacey, Defilipp (4) and Tripp, Porter; Ross and Duffy

(Second Game)

UM-Farmington (4-0) 522 10 – 10 12 0

Bay Path (1-5) 000 00 – 0 0 2

Carman, Bergeron (3) and Connors, McCrum; Ross, Hinkel (3) and Duffy