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Softball Pulls Off Dramatic 13-9 Come-From-Behind Win over Boston University
April 23, 2008
ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine softball team scored nine runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull off a dramatic 13-9 come-from-behind victory over Boston University on Wednesday. It was the second-straight win for Maine (9-35, 8-7 America East) and its fourth in the last five games. BU, which entered the game in first place in the league, dipped to 26-16 and 12-3 in America East. The game was played under sunny skies at Mike Kessock Field in Orono. BU jumped out to a 7-1 lead following following four and a half innings of play. However, Maine started its rally with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Black Bears got all three of their runs in the inning on one swing of the bat by freshman third baseman Terren Hall, who ripped her eighth home run of the season over the wall in left field. It marked the 32nd home run for Maine this season, which tied the school record for home runs in a single season. The record was previously set by the 2000 squad. Alexis Souhlaris and Whitney Spangler also scored on Hall's homer, as each singled earlier in the inning.
BU answered with a pair of runs in the top of the six to push its lead out to five runs at 9-4. That setback did not phase the Black Bears as they exploded in the sixth. Maine sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning, scored nine runs -- including four with two outs, and pounded out nine hits. Spangler got the scoring started with an RBI double, scoring Erin Iandoli and Melinda Corssino on the play, to make it 9-6. Maine loaded the bases later in the frame, and Hall followed by drawing a walk to force in Souhlaris, and bring the Black Bears to within two at 9-7. Kristen Calvetti roped an RBI single a couple of batters later to cut the deficit to 9-8. Kirstin Allen knotted the game at 9-9 a batter later as she grounded out to the pitcher, but was able to bring home Ashley Waters on the play. Kali Burnham was the next batter to follow and lined out to the pitcher for the second out of the inning. The Black Bears still had two runners on base with Courtney Gingrich stepping to the plate for the second time in the inning. Gingrich fought off several pitches before reaching first on an infield single which enabled Hall to score on the play and put Maine up by a count of 10-9. Iandoli followed and blasted a two-run double to right field to give Maine a 12-9 advantage. Souhlaris gave Maine one more insurance run as she followed with an RBI single.
Cayleigh Montano, who had come on in relief of starting pitcher Jenna Balent earlier in the game, was up to the task in the top of the seventh inning. She retired all three Terrier batters she faced in the inning to pick up the win. Montano worked 2.2 innings and allowed two runs on three hits. Balent went 4.1 innings and allowed seven runs -- only two earned -- on eight hits with a strikeout and two walks. Souhlaris, Spangler and Calvetti each paced Maine with three hits in the contest, while Hall, Gingrich and Iandoli each stroked a pair of hits. With the win, Maine kept pace with UMBC in the race for the fourth and final playoff spot in the America East Tournament. Both teams share identical 8-7 records in league play, and both will face each other in a three-game series May 3-4 at Kessock Field. Before that though, Maine has a big series coming up this weekend at Hartford. The Hawks are currently 6-9 in America East play and are just two games back of the final playoff spot. Hartford dropped a 2-0 decision to Stony Brook on Wednesday. The three-game series between the Black Bears and Hawks will begin on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. The series will conclude on Sunday with a single game at 12 p.m. |
