The Maine softball team hosted UMass-Lowell on Saturday afternoon in a conference doubleheader trying to get back on track, while the baseball team looked to extend their win streak and keep their conference record unblemished on the road in game two of their series at Binghamton.
Game 1 at Kessock Field in Orono- The Maine softball team got a run scoring double from Kelby Drews in the last of the seventh inning, and then a game winning grounder by Kati Jo Moery to top UMass-Lowell 3-2. Izzy Nieblas had the other run driven in with a single in the fourth as the Black Bears rallied from 2-0 down to record the victory. Nieblas, Grace McGouldrick, and Moery had two hits each and Alysen Reith (5-4) won in the circle allowing just one earned run on three hits with seven strikeouts in a complete game effort. Game 2- The Riverhawks bounced back to split the day getting a complete game four hit shutout from Ryley White (5-3) as part of a 5-0 win. Morgan Fisher lifted an RBI sacrifice fly and Emily Tow had an RBI single in the first inning and that was more than enough for UMass-Lowell (14-21-1, 4-6 America East). McGouldrick, Moery, Drews, and Krista Francia had a hit each in the loss for Maine, while Caitlyn Fallon (5-11) suffered the defeat in the circle. The Black Bears are now 10-26 and 3-6 in conference play. The teams square off in the rubber game of the series on Sunday at 11 a.m.
At the Bearcats Baseball Complex in Vestal, New York- After a four hour weather delay, the Maine baseball team kept their winning ways going with two late solo homeruns to secure a 5-4 victory over Binghamton. Jeremiah Jenkins made it back to back days with a three-run homer, as his first inning shot to right field was his 13th of the season. Binghamton (18-12, 5-3 America East) came storming back and would take the lead. Mike Gunning hit a solo homerun in the last of the first, Kevin Gsell singled in a run in the third, Gunning had a sacrifice fly to tie it in the fourth, and then Gsell led off the fifth with a solo homer to right field to make it 4-3 Bearcats. Dylan McNary led off the seventh inning for the Black Bears and would even the score with a homerun to right center on a 1-1 pitch. With one out in the eighth, Myles Sargent put the guests up to stay with a solo homer to left field. Caleb Leys started on the mound for Maine and got a no-decision allowing four runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings. Gianni Gambardella (4-1) was very good in long relief to get the pitching victory giving up no runs on two hits with no walks and four strikeouts over the final 4.0 innings. No Black Bear hitter had more than one hit, as they were outhit in the contest 10-5. Gunning, Gsell, Cavan Tully, and Tommy Reifler had two hits each for Binghamton while Justin Rosner (1-2) was tagged in the loss on the hill in relief of starter Ryan Bryggman. Maine is now on a 10 game win streak, improving to 17-11 and 11-0 in conference play. The final game of the series is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday.
Recaps by Chris Lessner
