The Maine softball team opened their 2026 season on Friday, and dropped a pair of close games at the Heart of Georgia Classic at Sikes Field in Macon, Georgia.
The Black Bears didn’t record any hits in their first game of the day in falling to the Evansville Purple Aces 4-1, scoring their only run on an error. Anna Carlson, Annika Shearer, Kaelyn Larkin, and Laura Craska all made their collegiate debuts. Shearer, Madison Hand, and Morgan Pool all walked twice. Alysen Reith took the loss in the circle allowing three earned runs on eight hits with four walks and two strikeouts in 6.0 innings.
Maine suffered a heartbreaker in game two in a 3-2 defeat to North Carolina A&T. Keira Inman scored on an error and Francesca Guerrera came home on a passed ball in a scoreless game in the sixth inning to give the Black Bears a 2-0 lead. With two outs and noone on base in the last of the sixth, Bria Finley walked and Camryn Caldwell singled. Tyra Robinson then came up as a pinch hitter for the Aggies and provided a game winning three-run homerun. Shearer singled for her first career hit in the top of the seventh but was stranded. Alli Goetz made her collegiate debut, while Neve Adams played in her first NCAA Division I game. Ave Zettlemoyer took the pitching loss giving up three runs on five hits with five walks and seven strikeouts in 6.0 innings.
Maine continues play in the Heart of Georgia Classic facing NC A&T and Mercer on Saturday and Evansville again on Sunday.
Photo of Shearer courtesy of UMaine Athletics
