Eagles Swept by Southern Maine

GORHAM, Maine –  Freshman Sammi Goode struck out a season and career-high 13 batters in the first game and junior Allison Pillar rushed a pinch-hit grand slam in game two to highlight a pair of wins as the University of Southern Maine Huskies' softball team extended its win-streak to five games in a sweep of the Husson University Eagles Wednesday afternoon at the USM Softball Stadium.

With its sweep of the Eagles, USM improves to 13-3 overall and 4-0 at home while Husson falls to 2-14 overall.

GAME ONE: Southern Maine 4, Husson 0
Goode earned her third win of the season with a dominant performance in the circle fanning 13 batters and holding the Eagles to just two hits over seven innings.  Sophomores Taylor Lux and Amber Kelly, junior Shelby Obert and senior Kat McKay each drove in runs for the Huskies.

With both pitchers in control early, the game remained scoreless through two and a half innings
before the Huskies struck for three runs in the bottom of the third.  The Huskies' first five batters of the inning all collected hits to kick start the offense.  Junior Danni Humphrey led off the inning with a single up the middle and senior Morgan Scavetta set up runners on third and second with a double to the gap in left field.  McKay drove in the first run of the game with a single to right field.  Lux followed with a line-drive RBI single to center field, scoring Scavetta, before Kelly drove in the final run of the game with a single up the middle of the Eagles' defense for a 3-0 USM lead.

Goode came out on fire in the top of the fourth retiring the first Husson batter on a pop up to shortstop before collecting two of her 13 strike outs to end the inning, and setting the tone for the rest of the game.  USM added another run in the bottom of the sixth on a double that crashed off of the center field fence from Obert to drive in senior Mary Caron .  In the top of the seventh, Husson senior Sami Cyr led off the inning with a double through the left side but was left stranded after Goode struck out the next two batters and forced a ground out to end the game.  Husson junior Alannah Healy fell took the loss allowing three earned runs on six hits.  Healy did not yield a walk in the loss and picked up three strikeouts.

GAME TWO: Southern Maine 7, Husson 0 (5 innings)
Kelly picked up her eighth win of the season improving to 8-1 firing a five-inning no-hitter over the Eagles as USM rolled to a 7-0 win in game two, which was shortened due to darkness.  Kelly was outstanding in the circle, striking out six without yielding a walk or a hit.

Despite the cold weather, the Huskies' bats were lively and five of their nine hits were for extra bases, including four doubles (two from Obert) and Pillar's grand slam. The game was tight in the early goings and the Huskies grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third.  Lux led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Kelly. Lux took third on a ground out from Caron, before sophomore Courtney Davis crushed a double to the right field gap to drive in Lux. Davis was thrown out at third on a nice relay attempting to extend her double into a triple to end the inning.

Kelly retired the Eagles in order in the top of the fourth, setting up a big fourth-inning rally for the Huskies seal the win.  The Huskies scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth on five hits and a Eagles' error, including a pair of doubles.  Obert led off the inning with a double, and freshman Brooke Cross made it first and third with a pinch-hit single.  USM increased its lead to 2-0 on Scavetta's second double of the double header to plate Obert, giving the Huskies' runners on third and second with no outs.  McKay then drew a walk to load the bases before Pillar strolled to the plate as a pinch-hitter.  With the bases loaded and no outs, Pillar lofted her first home run of the season over the left field fence to drive in four runs and make it 6-0.

The Huskies collected one more run, on yet another pinch-hit RBI, this time a single from Amanda Hendrickson for the 7-0 lead.  In the top of the fifth, Kelly remained in control, retiring the Eagles in order again before the umpires called the game due to darkness. Healy took the loss making back-to-back starts for Husson.  Healy allowed four earned runs on seven hits and a walk in three innings.  Eagle reliever freshman Olivia Smith took over in the fourth, allowing two earned runs on two hits and a walk.  Both Smith and Healy earned two strikeouts.

UP NEXT:
Southern Maine returns to action on Thursday (3:30 p.m.) in a non-conference doubleheader at Salem State University.  Husson host Castleton in a North Atlantic Conference doubleheader on Saturday (12:00 p.m.).