FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- The University of Maine softball team held a 6-3 lead on No. 25 Wisconsin in the fourth inning but were outscored 7-2 over the final four innings, dropping its Colorado State Invitational final by a score of 10-6 on Sunday afternoon.
Rachel Carlson paced the offense with a 3-for-4 showing, adding two runs and two RBIs.
Kristen Niland blasted a home run and added a double while scoring two runs.
Meghan Royle drove in three on a 1-for-4 day with a triple.
The Black Bears opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first when Carlson scored on Royle's fielder's choice.
Wisconsin answered with a single run in the bottom of the first.
Maine regained the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second. Carlson's single brought around
Erika Leonard and Niland, giving the Black Bears a 3-1 advantage.
However, the Badgers answered, once again tying the game with two more runs in the home half of the second.
Niland's solo homer to left center, her first of the spring, put Maine back on top by a run in the third.
The Black Bears added to their lead when Royle's triple to right scored
Rachel Harvey and Carlson, giving Maine a 6-3 lead in the middle of the fourth.
The back and forth trend continued as Wisconsin was able to push across three runs in the bottom of the fourth, tying the game for the third time, 6-6.
The Badgers were able to grab their first lead of the day with an unearned run in the top of the fifth.
Wisconsin distanced itself in the sixth when Stephanie Lombardo blasted a three-run homer to left center, propelling the Badgers to a 10-6 lead.
Maine was unable to close the gap, capping the Colorado State Invitational action with a 10-6 loss.
Erin Bogdanovich took the loss, going 4.2 inning while giving up seven runs, four earned, on 10 hits with three strikeouts.
Annie Kennedy came on in relief, going 1.1 innings and giving up three runs, two earned, on three hits.
The Black Bears are back in action on March 14 with a doubleheader at Utah Valley beginning at 4 p.m. EST.
-UMaine-
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