BRUNSWICK, Maine - In their return north after a week in Florida, the University of Maine at Farmington (2-8) softball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader on Tuesday evening on the road against Bowdoin College (13-2). The Beavers were unable to get their offense going in game one, falling 3-1. In game two, Bowdoin overcame an early 3-0 deficit and cruised to an 11-4 victory.
Game One; Bowdoin 3 - Farmington 1
The game was a quickly played, clean contest with both pitchers—Natalie Simpson (Bucksport, Maine) for Farmington and Maddie Current for Bowdoin—on top of their games.
Farmington threatened to score in the top of the first inning as Ava Paglianite (Upper Black Eddy, Pa.) led off with a four-pitch walk, and two batters later, junior outfielder Jessica Dow (Saco, Maine) ripped a single to right field to put runners at first and second with one out. Current quickly settled in, getting a strikeout and a groundout to escape the jam.
In the Polar Bears' half of the first, Anika Ewert led off with an inside-the-park home run to the gap in left-center field, staking the hosts to an early 1-0 lead. Kaitlyn Fado followed with a single, stole second, and then moved to third on an error on the throw. Fado came in to score two batters later on an RBI groundout from Maddie Paschke, making it 2-0.
Bowdoin tacked on a run in the bottom of the third on an RBI single from Rosie Panenka. Fado led off the inning with a double to center field and then scored on Panenka's knock to make it 3-0.
The game remained 3-0 into the top of the sixth, when the Beavers were able to get on the scoreboard for the first time. Following Dow's single in the first, Farmington did not record another hit until the sixth. Maddie Pike (Kennebunk, Maine) singled with two outs to start the rally. Lisa Truchin (Torrance, Calif.) followed with a double to center, bringing Pike all the way around to score and make it a 3-1 game.
After Simpson tossed a scoreless sixth, Farmington mounted a small two-out rally to apply pressure on the Polar Bears in the top of the seventh. Bella Miller (Lewiston, Maine) singled to left, and Paglianite was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second for Emily Collins (Moscow, Maine). Collins hit a hard groundball to second base that was knocked down but not far enough away from Callie Smith, who corralled the ball and threw to first to record the final out of the game.
Current picked up the victory, moving to 6-1 on the season in the circle. She pitched the first five innings, allowing just one hit while walking three and striking out four. Ava Biasotti pitched the final two innings in relief to earn the save.
Simpson finished with a complete game, going six innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits while walking five and striking out three.
Game Two; Bowdoin 11 - Farmington 4
After quiet bats in game one, the Beavers came to life early in game two, plating three runs on four hits to take a quick 3-0 lead. Paglianite led off with a single but was thrown out at second as Collins reached on a fielder's choice. Dow followed with a single to put runners on first and second for Pike.
Pike smacked a double into right field, scoring both Collins and Dow to give Farmington a two-run lead just four batters into the game. Pike was then driven home on an RBI single from Truchin as the Beavers took early control.
Bowdoin responded quickly with two runs in the bottom of the first. Ewert led off with a single and immediately stole second. The throw skipped into center field, allowing Ewert to score. Penelope Fong-Picariello followed with a walk, stole second, moved to third on a passed ball, and then scored on a Margaret Flannery-Goodman sac fly to make it 3-2 after one inning.
Bowdoin tied the game at three in the bottom of the second on a two-out RBI single from Fado, scoring Baylie Wong, who had led off the inning with a single.
Farmington reclaimed the lead in the fourth as junior second baseman Reilly Russell (Windham, Maine) belted her first career home run to straightaway center field, making it a 4-3 game.
The Beavers' lead did not last long, as the Polar Bears pushed across two runs in the bottom half of the inning to take their first lead of the game. Hannah Murray and Ewert each delivered RBI singles in the frame.
After Farmington was held scoreless in the top of the fifth, Bowdoin broke the game open with four runs in the bottom half, extending the lead to 9-4. Chloe Garcia delivered an RBI double, while Flannery-Goodman, Murray, and Fado each added RBI singles.
Bowdoin tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ewert led off with a double and later scored on an error. Flannery-Goodman added her third RBI of the game, singling home Fong-Picariello, who had reached earlier in the inning.
Kathleen Foster picked up the win in the circle for Bowdoin, pitching the final 3 2/3 innings and allowing just one hit while striking out four. Foster relieved Sophia Hahn, who pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up four earned runs on six hits.
Emma DeBoer (Saint Leonard, Md.) took the loss for the Beavers, pitching the first five innings and allowing nine runs (seven earned) on 11 hits while walking two and striking out three.
UP NEXT
The Beavers return to action on Sunday when they travel to Salem, Massachusetts for a doubleheader against Salem State University. First pitch of game one is set for 12:00 PM.
