McIntosh Fires Seven Inning Gem in Game One; Bezanson Connects on Clutch Hitting

Southern Maine Splits at Rhode Island College

PROVIDENCE, RI –   Junior Ella Bezanson (Amesbury, Mass.) was 2-for-4 with two critical RBI and classmate Lexus McIntosh (Lancaster, NH/White Mountains Regional) was outstanding over seven innings as the University of Southern Maine Huskies rallied to win 5-2 in game one of a Little East Conference doubleheader at Rhode Island College.
 
McIntosh earned her third win of the season,  limiting the Anchormen to just five hits and a walk over seven innings while striking out three.  Bezanson drove in USM's first run of the game to make it a one run game 2-1 in the fifth, and then knocked in the game-tying run in the top of the seventh.  Bezanson was outstanding on the base paths, getting herself into scoring position as the Huskies score four runs in their final at bat for the win.
 
Records:
GM 1 – Southern Maine 5,  RIC 2
Southern Maine (5-8, 1-0 LEC)                                                         000 010 4    5-9-1
Rhode Island College (11-8, 0-1 LEC)                                                011 000 0    2-5-1
 
 
GM 2 – RIC 5, Southern Maine 0
Southern Maine (5-9, 1-1 LEC)                                                         000 000 0    0-3-0
Rhode Island College (12-8, 1-1 LEC)                                                002 030 x    5-8-0
 
Pitching Records:
GM 1 – Southern Maine vs. RIC
WP: SM, Lexus McIntosh (3-4), 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
LP:  RIC, Abby Kidd (6-3), 6.2 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
 
GM 2 – Southern Maine vs RIC
WP: RIC, Ashleigh von der Linden (6-3), 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
LP:  SM, Mia Coots (2-5), 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
 
How It Happened: Game One – Southern Maine 5, RIC 2

• Held to one hit in the first four innings, the Huskies bats started to pop in the fifth inning to earn the 5-2 come-from-behind win over the Anchormen, 5-2
• With McIntosh and RIC starter Abby Kidd going back-and-forth in an outstanding pitcher's duel, Rhode Island College struck first, taking a 1-0 lead on an unearned run.  Noele Simmons reached with a one-out single to center, and moved up to second on a wild pitch, and then scored on a Husky fielding error.  Despite the setback, McIntosh fired back getting the next two batters with ground outs.
• Kidd remained in control for RIC in the top of the third putting USM down in order 1-2-3, retiring her sixth consecutive batters. Up 1-0, the Anchormen took a 2-0 lead on a two-out RBI double from Amanda Conti in the bottom of the inning.  Conti drove in Forcier who led off the inning with an infield single.
• McIntosh and Abby worked around base hits in the fourth to keep both teams off the scoreboard.  RIC had a runner on second after a one-out double from Victoria Young, but McIntosh relied on the arm of senior Meaghan Dufresne (Mattapoisett, Mass/Old Rochester Regional) who cut down Young attempting to steal third for the second out before McIntosh ended the inning with a strikeout.
• The Huskies made it a 2-1 game in the top of the fifth on three hits and a walk.  Freshman Gwen Christie (Barnstead, NH/Prospect Mountain) started with a one-out double to left, and then moved up to third on a perfectly placed bunt single from junior Alana Delisle (Amesbury, Mass.).  Christie scored USM's first run of the day as Bezanson hit an RBI single to the gap in right.  In the bottom of the fifth, McIntosh was dominant with three consecutive groundouts, keeping the game in reach at 2-1.
• After a quiet sixth from both sides, the Huskies headed to the top of the seventh for their final at-bats. A dropped fly ball off of the bat of Christie gave USM their first base runner, and Delisle again came through with another well-placed bunt single for runners at first and third.  Bezanson knotted the game up at 2-2 with a clutch RBI single to center field, advancing to second on the throw.  USM went ahead 3-2 on the next play as Bezanson moved to third, and Delisle scored with wild pitch.  Bezanson made it 4-2 with more solid base running scoring on a passed ball.  RIC got the first out of the inning on a fly ball, but sophomore Maddy Paradis (Salem, NH) kept USM alive with a single to center, and moved up on an infield out.  With two away, the Huskies used a double to the gap in left from junior Olivia Levasseur (Amesbury, Mass.) for a 5-2 lead. USM finished the seventh with four hits, and a walk.
• Pitching with the lead for the first time in the game, McIntosh controlled RIC for the first two outs before giving up a pinch-hit single.  With a runner on, McIntosh forced a grounder and Levasseur scooped it up to get the lead runner at second with a toss to Christie for the win.

 
 
Game Two -  RIC 5, Southern Maine 0

• RIC's Ashleigh von der Linden held Southern Maine to just three singles over seven innings to earn a shutout out in game two.
• Amanda Conti led the Anchormen going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and two RBI, including a triple. Victoria Young also had two RBI going 1-for-2 with a triple.  RIC collected eight hits off of Southern Maine, including four for extra bases.
• Southern Maine junior Mackenzie Renner (Alton, NH/Prospect Mountain) was the lone repeat hitter for the Huskies going 2-for-3 at the plate. Christie also had a single, finishing 1-for-3. Both Renner and Dufresne each had a stolen base, and Dufresne picked of a runner trying to steal in the fourth.

 
Up Next:
Southern Maine hosts Saint Joseph's College on Wednesday, April 5 (3:30 pm) in their home-opener for two games.  The Huskies remain at home and host Eastern Connecticut State on Saturday (1:00 pm) for a Little East Conference doubleheader.