After a 6-1 opening round win on Friday, the Husson University Eagles found themselves in the winners bracket to start the day at Amherst College on Saturday afternoon against the #9 Virginia Wesleyan University Marlins in the NCAA Division III Regional Softball Tournament. After a close 3-2 loss to the defending champion Virginia Wesleyan, Husson had to face Amherst College once again in a rematch of an Eagles win on Friday and would fall 1-0 eliminating them from the tournament.
In the opener, Virginia Wesleyan scored the first three runs and then held on for the one run victory to advance to the Regional Final on Sunday. The Marlins broke a scoreless tie when Krissy D’Arco crossed the plate on a passed ball in the third inning. Caitlin Meyers led off the top of the fourth with a solo homerun to right center, and later in the inning they made it 3-0 on a Husson throwing error. Brianne McCabe got the Eagles on the board with a two-run single in the sixth. They then had a chance to tie the game or go ahead in their last at bat in the bottom of the seventh putting two runners on base with two outs, but Julia Gregoire grounded out into a fielders choice to end it. Katie Windsor had two hits for Husson, with Jen Jones (6-2) losing in the circle allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits in 4.0 innings. McKenna Smith pitched 3.0 perfect innings to keep her team in the game.
In game two, it was a pitchers duel between Smith for Husson and Talia Bloxham for Amherst College. The lone run came in the top of the fifth inning for the Mammoths. Jess Butler led off with a single, moved to second base on a fielders choice, and with two outs went to third on a wild pitch by Smith. Bloxham helped herself with an infield RBI single scoring Butler that ended up being the game winner. The Eagles had a chance in the sixth with Windsor on second base and two outs, but after an intentional walk to Kenzie Dore the Mammoths got out of it when McCabe grounded out to first base unassisted. Husson in their last at bat in the bottom of the seventh got back to back singles to start it off by Megan Gosselin and Gregoire. Katie Raymond would foul out to the catcher trying to lay down a sacrifice bunt, and Teagan Blackie and Madelyn Fowler both struck out swinging to end the game and the season for the Eagles. The two pitchers went the distance and combined to throw 235 pitches (124 for Bloxham, 111 for Smith), as Smith (18-4) would take the loss allowing one run on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Bloxham also only allowed three hits with three walks and 12 strikeouts.
Husson finishes up with a final record of 27-11. The Eagles have gone 3-4 in their last two Regional Tournaments, including 2-2 last season when they hosted in Bangor. Amherst College (26-8) will face Virginia Wesleyan (35-11) in the Regional Final on Sunday. Virginia Wesleyan needs just one win to take the crown, while the Mammoths would need a game one win in order to force a winner take all game two.
