GORHAM, Maine – The Husson University softball team lost for the first time in a little over one month, as it split a doubleheader at the University of Southern Maine on Thursday evening, taking game one 7-2, before falling in a 1-0 pitcher's duel to end the night.
GAME ONE: Husson 7, Southern Maine 2
Husson (18-9) used six runs over the sixth and seventh innings and a 13-strikeout game from graduate student Sky Johnson to run its win-streak to 12 games in Thursday's opener.
Sophomore Camryn King led off the game with a double and would come around to score the opening run of the contest after a dropped third strike allowed her to score from third base.
The middle innings of the game saw both pitchers settle in, as Johnson didn't allow a base runner until the home-half of the fifth inning, but the Eagles were unable to add onto their lead despite Johnson's heroics in the circle.
That changed for Husson in the top of the sixth, as it exploded for four runs with junior Lexi Volinsky and sophomore Lyndsee Reed drawing bases loaded walks to plate half of those runs, while the final two scores of the frame came courtesy of an error on the Southern Maine (16-15) infield, which allowed senior Kiara McLeod and Volinsky to score.
The Huskies got one run off of the deficit in their turn at the plate in the sixth with an RBI-single, but the Eagles added two additional runs on a two-RBI single from McLeod in the visitor-half of the seventh to extend their lead to 7-1.
Southern Maine managed to plate an unearned run in its last turn at-bat, but Husson had done enough to come away with a win in game one.
King, graduate student Julia Gregoire and McLeod paced the Eagles with two hits apiece, while Gregoire also drew a walk in her time at the plate.
Johnson picked up her 10th victory of the season with her 11th complete game of the year, as she allowed just the one earned run on six hits and no walks, while striking out 13 batters.
GAME TWO: Southern Maine 1, Husson 0
Much like game one, Husson (18-10) was able to bogue-down the Southern Maine (17-15) offense, as sophomore Ana Lang didn't allow an earned run, but the Eagles were unable to get the bats going in game two and their win-streak came to an end.
Following a line-drive double play that ended the top of the first for the Eagles, Southern Maine would plate its lone run of the game on an RBI-single to center field after the eventual game-winning run was put in scoring position because of an error.
Husson didn't go down quietly, as it put runners on first and second in the third inning and a runner on second in both the sixth and seventh innings, but the Huskies were able to hold on for the win.
King, senior Tori Exel and freshman Allie Casavant accounted for the three Husson hits, while King also drew two walks.
Lang hurled the full six innings for the Eagles, allowing just the six hits and one unearned run, while punching out 12 batters.
Husson will return to conference play tomorrow when it travels to Lesley University for a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.
