Softball Goes Toe-To-Toe With USCAA-Power NHTI

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine/CONCORD, N.H.—The Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) softball team took one in a four-game series from the #3-ranked United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Lynx of NHTI in a Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) home and away split spanning Friday, Apr. 12 to Saturday, Apr. 13.

Game 1: L, 11-5 | BOX

Sophomore captain Meranda Martin (Richmond, Maine) started in the circle and combined with two relief appearances in an effort to keep the high-powered NHTI offense at bay. Martin was taxed the loss responsible for four of the six runs scored in the sixth inning.

Martin and first-year Emily Lashua (Auburn, Maine) both collected three hits—Lashua three RBIs.

The headline from this game was NHTI's Hannah Winship's three homeruns in five trips to the plate—part of a nine-RBI day for the Lynx' clean-up hitter. Teammate Taylor Gagnon was credited the win.

Game 2: L, 7-5 | BOX

First-year Emily Chasse (Monmouth, Maine) earned the start in game two that began in South Portland, was suspended for darkness after six innings tied 5-5, and finished in Concord, N.H. Martin took over after Chasse's four innings and suffered the loss when the Lynx pushed across two in the seventh to win by the same margin.

Martin and first-year Jordan Boucher (Berwick, Maine) recorded multi-hit games for the SeaWolves—both connecting for extra-base hits and this Martin's ninth multi-hit game of the season.

NHTI's Brianna Whitcomb pitched a complete game allowing five runs, three earned, over seven hits to pick up the victory.

Game 3: W, 5-4 | BOX

Martin was again sent to the circle in the first of the afternoon doubleheader at NHTI to go the distance and hand NHTI just its third loss of the season, and first at home. The right-hander gave up four runs on eight hits and four strikeouts.

It was nothing doing through five innings until both sides traded four-run innings in the sixth—both half innings highlighted by homeruns. Lashua delivered the go-ahead knock in the seventh on a screamer to center field to score first-year Aleisha Cross (Saco, Maine) from second base.

Sophomore captain Sara Ring (Wells, Maine) connected for her second big fly of the season, a three-run shot to center field. Lashua contributed two-RBIs, part of a two-hit game.

NHTI's Kristen Mackenzie endured the loss.

Game 4: L, 11-8 | BOX

There was no shortage of runs in the series finale as both teams got on the board early—SMCC trailing 7-5 after two. NHTI tacked on two more in the fourth and gained enough separation to absorb a late-inning comeback by the SeaWolves.

Both teams combined for 27 hits. Sophomore Morgan Boyle (Portland, Maine) went a perfect 4-4 at the plate, answered by NHTI's Olivia Langevin's 4-4 game.

Chasse and Martin teamed up for another six innings, as it was by-committee for NHTI's staff who had the weapons to secure a scoreless seventh and win the series.

Following the series, Head Coach Ray Magnant reflected, "These ladies played hard to hang in this four-game set with an extremely talented NHTI club. Although we only took one, I never felt like we were out of any of the other three. We were backed by some huge performances both at the plate and in the circle. I'm confident in this match up when tournament time rolls around."

The results leave SMCC 7-8 overall, 1-3 in conference play. NHTI improves to 20-3 overall, 7-1 YSCC.

The Lady SeaWolves get back to action on Tuesday, Apr. 16 when they host the Mustangs from Central Maine Community College in another YSCC doubleheader beginning at 3:30/5:30 p.m. LIVE STATS.

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