LEWISTON, Maine -- Husson University spoiled the home opener for the Bates College softball team on Tuesday, sweeping a doubleheader at Lafayette Street Field with a 7-5 victory in Game 1 followed by an 8-4 win in Game 2.  The visiting Eagles rose to 6-12 overall, while the host Bobcats fall to 2-13.

Husson hit four home runs on the day, including three in Game 1. The Eagles took over the lead at 3-1 on Dorothy Cameron's two-run homer in the third inning, then increased the lead to 4-1 on a solo shot to center field in the fourth. Bates came back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to close it to 4-3, with an RBI groundout by Karen Ullmann and an RBI single by Courtney Talcott. But Nicole Sargent broke the game open in the sixth inning with a pinch-hit, three-run home run to left that made it 7-3. Bates tried to come back again in the seventh, as a double by Kelly McManus, a single by Ullmann and a double by Talcott led to a run. But the Bobcats scored their final run on a double play that ended the game.

Bates started off Game 2 well with runs in the first four innings, while starting pitcher Kristen Finn held the Eagles to just one hit through the first four innings. But a two-run home run by Diann Ramsey in the fifth narrowed the lead to 4-3, and the Eagles tied it at 4-4 with a score in the sixth, taking advantage of a Bates error for an unearned run.

Bates received singles by pinch hitter Libby King and by shortstop Mary Lewis in the sixth, but the Bobcats left two runners stranded with no score in the inning.

Husson exploded for four go-ahead runs in the seventh. Ramsey hit a leadoff double, followed by a two-out RBI single by Cameron. Cassie Berry walked to put two runners on for Megan Richard, who responded with a two-run double to make it 7-4. Richard later stole third base and came home on a Bates error to make it 8-4. Bates couldn't make up the difference in the bottom of the seventh against Richard, who pitched the final 1.2 innings in relief to earn the win for Husson.