MYRTLE BEACH, SC – The University of Maine at Farmington softball team continued their week in Myrtle Beach with two games on Thursday, March 14, taking on Clarks Summit University and Brevard College.
Game One:
The Beavers, winners of four straight to start the season, kept things rolling in game one this morning, topping the Defenders 4-2 to continue one of the best starts to a season in program history.
The Beavers offense got things rolling early, putting up a crooked number in the bottom of the 1st inning. First-year shortstop Abby Wrinn (Wolcott, Conn.) opened the game with a single to center field and came into score when sophomore third baseman Maddie Pike (Kennebunk, Maine) laced an RBI triple. Pike came into score on an error to put the Beavers ahead 2-0. The Beavers loaded the bases with two outs in the inning, but were unable to push anymore runs across.
The Beavers were quiet through the middle innings but strung together three singles in the bottom of the 5th to push across another run and open up a 3-0 lead. Jojo Daigneault (Canton, Conn.), Allen, and Grace Pratt (Rockland, Maine) recorded the hits in the inning for Farmington.
First-year starting pitcher Mack Bergen (Winnipeg, Manitoba) continued her fantastic start to her collegiate career, keeping the Clarks Summit offense at bay for a majority of the contest. Bergen went five and one third innings, striking out seven while giving up just two earned on four hits. Bergen was automatic for the first five innings, but found herself in trouble to start the 6th inning when Davi Ort led off the inning with a double. Bergen got Haley Bragg to pop out to record the first out of the inning. But Ort stole third and came into score on an RBI single from Maddison Atkins to chase Bergen from the game.
Junior Carleigh Schievink (Charlestown, Mass.) took over in the circle for Bergen and limited the damage. She surrendered a pair of hits in the inning allowing Keilani Araniva, who pinch ran for Atkins, to score but the Beavers clung to a 3-2 lead through five and a half.
Looking for insurance in the bottom of the 6th, Farmington got just that in a big way when first-year Melissa Mayo (Bridgton, Maine) ripped a pinch hit home run to right field. The home run for Mayo was the first of her career.
Holding onto a 4-2 lead in the 7th inning, Schievink gave up just one hit to slam the door shut and pick up the save. Bergen recorded the win, the first of her collegiate career.
Wrinn, Pike, and Pratt each recorded a pair of hits to lead the Beavers offensively. Ort and Atkins each had a pair of hits for the Defenders.
Game Two:
Similar to Game One, the Beavers offense got rolling early, once again scoring a pair of runs in the 1st inning to open up an early lead. Farmington loaded the bases with one-out as Daigneault and Allen sandwiched walks around a single from Pike. Bergen reached base on an error that allowed Daigneault to score and reload the bases with still just one away. The next batter was Katie Morse (Dixfield, Maine) who grounded out but Pike came into score to extend the Beavers lead.
Brevard knotted the game up in the bottom of the 2nd inning, as Gabby Hooper ripped an RBI double and came into score on an error later in the inning.
The Tornadoes took their first lead in the bottom of the 3rd when Olivia Martinez singled to right and Regan Winkler came in to score as the ball was misplayed in the outfield.
Mayo took over for starting pitcher Rita Benoit (Hallowell, Maine) in the bottom of the 4th and immediately found herself in trouble. The Tornadoes tacked on three runs in the inning. Karley Queen started the rally with an RBI double and scored via a steal of home a beautifully executed 1st and 3rd play. Jadyn Harlow added an RBI single to make it 6-2 through four innings.
Pike added an RBI single in the top of the 5th, chasing home Daigneault who had doubled with two outs.
Brevard continued their strong offensive day in the bottom of the 5th, scoring three more runs on RBIs from Ive Leighton, Queen, and MacKenzie Wilborne to take a 9-3 lead.
Farmington was able to chip away in the top of the 6th as Pratt led off the inning with a double and came into score on an RBI single from Stephanie Morse (New Gloucester, Maine). Wrinn and Daigneault each tallied RBI singles in the inning as well to make it a three-run deficit once again.
After a scoreless bottom of the 6th, the Beavers offense continued to cut into the Brevard lead. Allen and Bergen hit back-to-back singles to open the inning to bring the tying run to the plate. Emily Collins (Moscow, Maine) pinch ran for Allen and came in to score on a passed ball but that is as close as the Beavers could get in dropping their first game of the season.
Pike led the Beavers offense with three hits, an RBI, and a run scored. Daigneault finished 2-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Queen, Wilborne, Harlow, and Hooper all had two hits to lead the Tornadoes’ offense.
Up next, the Beavers finish off their Myrtle Beach trip Friday, March 15 with a pair of games. Game one is at 11 a.m. against Keene State and game two is at 3 p.m. against College of Mount Saint Vincent.
