After dropping both games in a Little East Conference doubleheader in a hard fought battle against Eastern Connecticut State last weekend, the USM softball team got two games back in the LEC as they swept Plymouth State University 8-2 and 12-7 at Towers Field in Gorham on Thursday afternoon.
The sweep was highlighted by the aggressive bats of USM junior Heather Gilman (Fairfield) and freshman Katie Davis (Woburn, Mass.) who combined for nine hits, five runs, and ten runs batted in to help lead the Huskies to victory. Gilman went 4-for-7 on the day while driving in five and scoring three runs of her own. Davis followed by going 5-for-8 at the plate in the doubleheader while also driving in five runs and scoring two.
In the opener, junior pitcher Sarah Deroche (Portland) recorded her fifth win of the season by allowing just two earned runs on six hits and six walks, while striking out five in seven solid innings.
Plymouth got on the board first as senior outfielder Kay LaBrie was walked by Deroche, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on an RBI double by junior catcher Kortney Nedeau. The Huskies would get one back in the bottom of the inning to tie in at one. USM sophomore outfielder Lauren DiCecco (South Berwick) singled through the left side, and was driven in by Davis who doubled to center.
USM added to their lead in the second when junior shortstop Heather Gilman (Fairfield) doubled to right field, advanced to third on a Deroche groundout to second base, and scored on an error by the Plymouth third baseman to give USM the 2-1 lead.
The Huskies would go on to score five in the fifth and one more in the sixth for insurance purposes. The Panthers would salvage one run in the when LaBrie doubled, advanced to third and scored on a wild pitch, but that is all they would get as they Huskies would go onto win by a score of 8-2.
Gilman hit her third home run in USM’s breakout fifth inning.
In the nightcap, sophomore Alex Perdomo (Portland) pitched all seven innings giving up 12 hits, seven runs, and striking out five to earn her third win of the season.
DiCecco got the USM scoring started again in the first when she singled to center, was moved over after sophomore catcher Jess Hayden (Madison) walked, and Gilman reached on an error by the PSU third baseman which allowed DiCecco to score.
Plymouth came back to take the lead in the third when they scored two runs on two hits and one USM error. USM responded by exploding with four runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-2 lead. The inning was highlighted by a single by DiCecco, followed by Davis who doubled to right field, and Gilman drove them both in with an RBI single of her own. Junior Melissa Caiazzo (Portland) then hit a two RBI single up the middle that scored Gilman and Hayden.
The Panthers came back once again, this time tying the score at five with three runs on three hits off Perdomo in the top of the fourth. The Huskies responded by scoring three more in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good. Four more runs in the fifth totaled USM’s 12 runs. Plymouth scored two more runs off Perdomo off three hits, but would prove to be a non-factor as that’s as close as they would get.
Davis stroked her fourth home run of 2010 to break the 5-5 tie in the fourth and help the Huskies earn the victory. DiCecco was 4-for-7 on the day with five runs scored and four RBI.
With a split against Keene State University on Saturday, the USM softball team awaits their postseason fate with the 2010 Little East Softball Tournament beginning this Thursday, May 7.