Panthers Sweep Southern Maine

The PSU softball team played the University of Southern Maine on Tuesday afternoon in a Little East Conference doubleheader. Originally scheduled to be played in Plymouth, the game had to be moved to USM’s field as a result of unplayable field conditions, but the Panthers still played as the home team in both games. They would go on to sweep USM on their own field, winning both games.

The first game started as a pitcher’s battle and was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when freshman Abrie Davis (Amherst, N.H.) connected with her third home run of the season. It drove in two runs, giving the Panthers the lead. Sophomore Katie Kennard (Concord, N.H.) had kicked off the inning with a single and was the runner on base when Davis knocked one out of the park.

The Huskies were looking for a comeback in the top of the fifth as sophomore Samantha Crossman led off with a single to left field. With a sacrifice bunt from classmate Allison Pillar, Crossman would reach second base. She advanced to third on a wild pitch and later crossed home plate on a RBI single from sophomore Danni Humphrey. The Panthers got their second out on a fielder’s choice, leaving a Huskies’ runner on first. USM was able to get another runner on base, but Plymouth clinched the third out before they could score.

USM had runners on base in the top of both the sixth and seventh innings, but were unable to cross home plate again. Panthers’ senior pitcher Whitney Roberts took the win, pitching a full game and giving up just one earned run on eight hits and one walk. The final score was 2-1.

In the second game, freshman pitcher Jessica Pietersen (Norton, M.A.) held the Huskies to just two hits over seven innings. She would take the win, pitching just two walks and two strikeouts, as well.

Kennard drove in the Panthers’ first run of the game in the bottom of the first with an RBI single to shortstop. The Huskies answered in the top of the next inning with a sacrifice fly to right field from Crossman that drove in USM’s only run of the game. Plymouth sophomore Rachel Morrissey (Salem, N.H.) tacked on an RBI in the bottom of third and Kennard followed closely with her second RBI of the game in the same inning. Freshman Nina Murray (Saugus, M.A.) chalked up PSU’s final run with an RBI single to left field in the bottom of the fourth.

Murray led the Panthers at bat, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Classmates Davis and Kim Leiter (Manchester, N.H.) also connected with doubles. The Huskies’ two hits belonged to freshman Courtney Davis and classmate Taylor Lux. The final score was 4-1.

With the victory, the Panthers improve to 6-13 (3-2 LEC). They return to action on Thursday with a non-conference doubleheader at Lyndon State beginning at 3:30 p.m.