UMaine Softball Drops Non-Conference Contest at Harvard

Photo is courtesy of University of Maine

Cambridge, Mass. -- The University of Maine softball team (15-14) fell in an early five-run hole at Harvard (17-13) but was able to claw its way back within a run. However, the Crimson would escape with a 10-7 victory on Thursday afternoon.

Rachel Harvey tallied three hits while Rachel Carlson and Janelle Bouchard each drove in two runs to lead the offense. For Harvey, it was her ninth multi-hit performance and the second-straight game in which she recorded three hits. Erika Leonard added a 2-for-4 day with a run scored and an RBI.
Harvard jumped out to an early five run lead with two runs in the first and three more in the bottom of the second.

The Black Bears began to chip away with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Carlson started the scoring with a two-RBI single up the middle, scoring Meghan Royle and Kristen Niland.

The Crimson added to its lead in the third, plating three more runs to take an 8-2 advantage.

Maine's bats came alive in the top of the fourth as it pushed across five runs, cutting the lead to just one. Maddie Decker started the run-scoring rally with a single to bring home Harvey. A sac-fly from Niland allowed Felicia Lennon to tag and score before Leonard's single to left brought in Chloe Douglass. Bouchard cut the advantage to 8-7 when her two-RBI double to deep left plated Royle and Leonard.

However, it would be as close as Maine could get. Harvard tacked on single runs in the fifth and sixth innings and held the Black Bears scoreless the rest of the way to take the 10-7 victory.

Maine returns home on Saturday, April 16 when it hosts America East leading Binghamton in a doubleheader at noon. The Black Bears will close the weekend series with Binghamton on Sunday at 11 a.m.