The season ended on Thursday afternoon for the Maine softball team, as they were ousted by Bryant University 5-1 in an elimination game of the America East Tournament at the Bearcat Softball Complex in Binghamton, New York.
Maine got off to a good start as Gabby Papushka doubled in Bailey Snowberger in the top of the first inning. Madison Simmerman did well in the circle to keep Bryant off the board in the first four innings, scattering five hits before the Bulldogs bats awoke in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Laniya Lewis reached on an error and then Hannah Cochran singled. Makenna Coleman flew out for an RBI, before Meaghan Houk provided the game winning clutch three-run homerun to centerfield for a 4-1 lead. Bryce Clendenin nailed a solo homer in the last of the sixth inning to end the scoring. The hit by Papushka was the only one on the day for the Black Bears, while Simmerman (6-13) took the pitching loss allowing five runs (only one earned) on nine hits with one walk in 6.0 innings. Houk had two hits and three RBI for Bryant, and freshman Maddy Wachter (9-7) pitched a complete game in the circle giving up one run on one hit with three walks and seven strikeouts. The #4 seeded Bulldogs (20-31) move on to another elimination game against #3 Albany on Friday.
Maine ends the season with a record of 12-37 under first year head coach Kimberly Stiles. Since the beginning of the 2021 season, the Black Bears overall have a record of 52-176 (.228 win percentage) and a mark of 17-73 (.188 win %) in America East that also includes the playoffs.
