FORT COLLINS, Co. -- The University of Maine softball team opened the Colorado State Classic by splitting its day one doubleheader. Maine defeated Colorado State, 6-5, after dropping a 4-2 decision to Wisconsin.

Erika Leonard led the offense with a 3-for-7 showing, tallying her first home run of the year while adding four RBIs and a run. Alyssa Derrick blasted her second home run of the season while Faythe Goins blasted a three-run shot; the first of her career.

In game one, Leonard finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and Derrick added the only other hit for the Black Bears who fell to Wisconsin, 4-2.

The Badgers jumped out to an early lead on Chloe Miller's two-run homer to center in the bottom of the first.

Maine cut the lead to one when Leonard's single through the left side brought in Meghan Royle in the top of the second.

Wisconsin built a three-run lead in the home half of the fifth when Miller drove in her third and fourth runs of the game on a triple to left center.

Leonard drove in Maine's second run of the day when her single to center plated Emily Gilmore, cutting the lead in half in the sixth.

However, the Black Bears could not get any closer, falling by a score of 4-2.

Annie Kennedy dropped to 0-2 on the season after giving up four runs on five hits with three strikeouts over 4.0 innings. Erin Bogdanovich tossed 2.0 innings of shutout relief, fanning one.

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In game two, Maine pushed across three runs in the top of the seventh on its way to a 6-5 victory over tournament host Colorado State. Leonard, Derrick and Goins each homered for the Black Bears while Royle and Kristen Niland produced a pair of hits.

Bogdanovich nabbed the victory in relief, going 4.1 innings while surrendering three runs, two earned, on six hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Maine fell behind quickly when the Rams pushed across single runs in both the first and second innings.

Leonard tied the game with a two-run shot in the third before Derrick's solo shot put Maine up 3-2 in the fourth inning.

Colorado State's Amber Nelson regained a one-run lead for the Rams with a solo home run of her own in the home half of the fifth.

The Black Bears continued the home run derby pace as Goins got into the mix in the seventh. With one out in the inning, Niland and Rachel Carlon's back-to-back singles gave Maine runners on first and second. Goins, who stepped in as a pinch-hitter, put the Black Bears back on top when she blasted a three-run shot over the wall in the left.

The Rams continued to battle as they scored a pair of runs early in the bottom of the seventh. However, Kennedy came on in relief and retired the rest of the Rams in order to grab the save and secure a 6-5 victory for the Black Bears.

Maine is back in doubleheader action on Saturday, March 11 when it takes on Wisconsin at noon before meeting Colorado State at 5 PM.

-UMaine-