MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina - The University of Maine at Farmington softball team split their doubleheader with Hartwick and UMass Boston on Thursday morning, completing their trip to Myrtle Beach with a 5-5 record.
Game One | Farmington 16, Hartwick 1 - 5 Innings
After a scoreless first inning, the Beavers' offense broke the game wide open in the bottom of the second, sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring eight runs on six hits, while the Hartwick defense committed four errors.
The inning started with three straight singles from Maddie Pike (Kennebunk, Maine), Bella Miller (Lewiston, Maine), and Christa Allen (Harrison, Maine), quickly loading the bases. All three runners scored later in the inning, taking advantage of some defensive miscues by the Hawks.
Abby Wrinn (Wolcott, Conn.) delivered an RBI double, Jojo Daigneault (Canton, Conn.) added an RBI single, and Pike, in her second at-bat of the inning, plated a pair with her second single.
The Hawks got one back in the top of the third as Samantha Osborne led off the inning with a triple to straightaway center field. She later scored on an error, making it an 8-1 ballgame.
Farmington's offense continued to put pressure on the Hawks' defense in the bottom half of the third. Hartwick committed three more errors, and Brianna Benson (Woodstock, Maine) delivered an RBI single in a three-run inning as Farmington opened up an 11-1 lead.
The Beavers sent 10 more batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth, scoring five runs on five hits to extend their lead to 16-1. Hailey Stewart (Cumberland, Maine) and Wrinn recorded RBI knocks, and Benson drew a bases-loaded walk as the Beavers continued to pour it on. Later in the inning, Wrinn scored on a wild pitch, and Daigneault came around to score on the eighth error of the game committed by the Hawks.
Ashlee Stevens and Lindsay Zgrodek hit consecutive two-out singles in the fifth, but Farmington starting pitcher Mack Bergen (Winnipeg, Manitoba) struck out Casey O'Connor to end the game.
The top of the Beavers' lineup carried much of the load offensively. Wrinn finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Daigneault went 2-for-2 with two walks, three runs scored, and an RBI. Pike was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored. Bergen picked up the win, going all five innings, giving up one earned run on four hits, and striking out five.
For the Hawks, Kylie Cucci picked up the loss, going an inning and a third, giving up eight runs, though only one was earned, on six hits. Stevens came on in relief, giving up eight runs (four earned) in two innings of work.
Game Two | UMass Boston 8, Farmington 0 - 7 Innings
After the offensive explosion in game one, the Beavers couldn't get anything going against Bri Melchionda and the unbeaten UMass Boston Beacons. Melchionda pitched a complete game two-hitter, scattering a pair of walks while striking out six.
The Beacons got on the scoreboard early, scoring two runs on just one hit in the top of the first. Sofie Richland led off the game with a walk, stole second, and then came around to score on a bunt single from Lauren Miner. Miner scored later in the inning on a wild pitch.
UMass Boston maintained a two-run lead into the third, when they cracked the game wide open, scoring five runs on six hits. The Beacons loaded the bases with three straight one-out singles, bringing up Hayley Krockta to the plate. Krockta promptly unloaded the bases, blasting a grand slam to straightaway center field. Mary Matthews followed with a single, stole second, and then scored on an RBI single from Cosette Zito to take a 7-0 lead after three and a half innings.
Avery Weinstein tacked on an RBI single in the top of the seventh, giving the Beacons an eight-run advantage on the way to their tenth win of the season.
Farmington's offense could not get anything going against Melchionda, getting a runner into scoring position just once—Olivia Paradis (Saco, Maine) in the bottom of the fifth. Wrinn was a bright spot at the top of the order for the Beavers, reaching base in all three plate appearances, going 1-for-1 with two walks. Katie Morse (Dixfield, Maine) recorded the other Beaver hit.
Outside of the Krockta grand slam, Miner and Matthews provided most of the offensive punch for the Beacons. Both recorded three hits, with Miner finishing with two runs and an RBI.
UP NEXT
The Beavers will return north and have a week off before heading to Boston next Saturday for a doubleheader with Simmons University. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 PM.
