FARMINGTON, Maine - The University of Maine at Farmington softball team earned a North Atlantic Conference (NAC) doubleheader split with Thomas College on Saturday afternoon. Farmington earned an extra-inning walk-off victory in game one, 4-3, before dropping a nail-biter, 5-4, in game two.
Prior to the games, the Beavers took time to honor their four seniors: Emily Collins, Bella Miller, Maddie Pike, and Taylor Truman.
Game One; Farmington 4 - Thomas 3 (8 innings)
The game was a pitcher's duel through the opening four and a half innings of play. Farmington starting pitcher Emma DeBoer (Saint Leonard, Md.) was flawless in the circle, retiring the first 15 batters she faced, including eight via strikeout. On the flip side, the Beavers were only able to muster four hits — all singles — through the first four innings against Thomas starter Lillian Noyes.
The Beavers' offense finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth. Bella Miller (Lewiston, Maine) hit a leadoff double down the left-field line to begin the inning and scored two batters later on a double from Melissa Mayo (Bridgton, Maine). Mayo moved to third on a flyout and later scored on a single from Ava Paglianite (Upper Black Eddy, Pa.) to give Farmington a 2-0 lead after five innings.
After DeBoer struck out the first batter she faced in the sixth, Abby Farone broke up the perfect game bid with a single to left field. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then scored Thomas' first run on a single from Brooklyn Federico. The next batter, Maddy Morris, ripped a double off the wall in dead center to score Federico and tie the game at 2-2.
Thomas kept the two-out rally going in the sixth when Megan Oberholzer singled to center to score Morris and give the Terriers a 3-2 lead.
The Beavers looked to respond immediately in the bottom of the sixth. Lisa Truchin (Torrance, Calif.) led off the inning with a single. Taylor Truman (Monmouth, Maine) followed with a sacrifice bunt, but the throw got away, allowing Truchin to move to third while Truman reached second safely with nobody out. However, Noyes stranded both runners by recording a groundout and two popups to end the inning.
Still trailing by one entering the bottom of the seventh, Emily Collins (Moscow, Maine) walked on four pitches to lead off the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch. After another single from Paglianite, Farmington had runners on first and third with nobody out. A fielder's choice resulted in the first out of the inning, as Paglianite was thrown out at second while Jessica Dow (Saco, Maine) reached base.
Dow then stole second to put the winning run in scoring position with one out. Maddie Pike (Kennebunk, Maine) did her job, lifting a deep fly ball to center field that allowed Collins to score and tie the game at 3-3. Thomas reliever Addy Boyce induced a popup in foul territory to send the game to extra innings.
Thomas led off the eighth with a walk, but Truchin, who entered in relief of DeBoer, retired the next three batters to send the game to the bottom of the inning and give Farmington a chance to walk it off.
Miller reached base and advanced to second on an error with one out to begin the Farmington rally. Reilly Russell (Windham, Maine) pinch ran for Miller and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Mayo then rocketed a ball over the head of the right fielder to score Russell and give the Beavers a 4-3 win.
Stat Leaders - Farmington
Ava Paglianite: 4-for-4, 1 RBI
Melissa Mayo: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBIs, 1 run
Maddie Pike: 1-for-3, 1 RBI
Stat Leaders - Thomas
Maddy Morris: 1-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 run
Brooklyn Federico: 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 run
Megan Oberholzer: 1-for-4, 1 RBI
In the Circle - Farmington
Emma DeBoer: 6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
Lisa Truchin (W, 5-1): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
In the Circle - Thomas
Lillian Noyes: 6.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Addy Boyce (L, 1-1): 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Game Two; Thomas 5 - Farmington 4
Game two remained relatively quiet until Thomas opened the scoring in the top of the third inning. Carlie Jarvais walked before Farone dropped down a bunt single to put two runners on with nobody out. Federico followed with a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Morris hit a sacrifice fly, and Oberholzer followed with an RBI single to give Thomas a 2-0 lead.
Thomas added another run in the fourth as Morris delivered her second sacrifice fly in as many at-bats to score Corinne Vasvary, who had led off the inning with a single.
The Beavers were held quiet offensively by Oberholzer through the first four innings and managed just two hits. However, Farmington's offense erupted for four runs in the fifth to take its first lead of the game. Angelina Ventullo (Salem, N.H.) and Russell hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Kytana Williamson (Nobleboro, Maine), who pinch ran for Ventullo, scored on a sacrifice fly from Mayo to cut the deficit to 3-1.
After Collins reached on an error, Dow made the Terriers pay by belting a double off the wall in right field to score two runs and tie the game at 3-3. Dow advanced to third on a wild pitch and later scored on a single from Pike as the Beavers took a 4-3 lead.
The lead was short-lived as Vasvary led off the inning with a single and came all the way around to score when Jarvais dropped down a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away, tying the game at 4-4 and putting the go-ahead run on third base. Truchin, who had entered in relief of Natalie Simpson (Bucksport, Maine), worked out of further trouble and kept the game tied.
Thomas pushed across the go-ahead run in the seventh inning. Jennie Whitten led off with a single and was pinch run for by Leah Knight. Emily Rock then laid down a bunt to move Knight to second. A single from Morgan Duhaime put runners on the corners with one out. Knight later scored on a wild pitch to give Thomas a 5-4 lead.
Dow singled with two outs in the seventh, but the Beavers were unable to move her into scoring position as the Terriers secured the game two victory.
Stat Leaders - Farmington
Jessica Dow: 2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, 1 run, BB
Ava Paglianite: 2-for-4
Reilly Russell: 1-for-2, 1 run, BB
Stat Leaders - Thomas
Corinne Vasvary: 3-for-4, 2 runs
Brooklyn Federico: 1-for-2, BB
Maddy Morris: 0-for-2, 2 RBIs
In the Circle - Farmington
Natalie Simpson: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
Lisa Truchin (L, 5-2): 3.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
In the Circle - Thomas
Megan Oberholzer: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Lillian Noyes: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
UP NEXT
The Beavers will await their playoff seeding and matchup, with the NAC Tournament set to begin on Thursday at Husson.
