OREM, Utah -- The University of Maine softball team dropped both ends of its doubleheader at Utah Valley on Tuesday evening. Maine fell in game one by a score of 14-3 in five-innings before dropping the finale, 7-3.

Rachel Harvey finished the day with three hits while scoring a run and driving in another. Kristen Niland drove in a pair in game one while Erika Leonard went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored in game two.

In game one, the Black Bears dug themselves in a deep hole, falling behind 7-0 after three innings.

Maine was able to get three runs back in the top of the fourth. Alyssa Derrick began the rally by working a leadoff walk before advancing to second on Harvey's single to center. Harvey was erased at second on Meghan Royle's fielder's choice. Royle stole second before Niland drove in the pair on a double to right. Maddie Decker brought in Niland from second with a singe back up the middle, cutting the Wolverines' lead to four.

However, Utah Valley put the game away with three runs in the home half of the fourth before adding four more in the fifth, ending the game by a 10-run rule.

Erin Bogdanovich fell to 1-5 on the season with the loss after going 2.0 innings and giving up six runs on six hits with a walk and a strikeout. Annie Kennedy added 2.2 innings in relief, surrendering eight runs on 11 hits while fanning one.

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In game two it was Maine jumping out to the early lead. Leonard started the game with walk and advanced to second on Rachel Carlson's ground out. Leonard would take third on a wild pitch before Harvey's two-out single to right gave Maine a 1-0 lead.

But Utah Valley had the answer, pushing across four runs in the home half of the first on Query's grand slam. The Wolverines would carry a 4-1 lead after one.

The Black Bears cut the lead in half with a run in the top of the third. Leonard again got the rally started with a one out single through the right side before moving up to second on a passed ball. Carlson's fielder's choice pushed Leonard over to third before Derrick's sacrifice line out to left allowed her to tag and score Maine's second run.

Two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth gave the Wolverines a 7-2 lead.

Maine chipped into the lead with another run in the top of the seventh. Decker started the inning with a single down the left field line before moving to second when Royle grounded out to the pitcher. Ashley Tinsman, who relieved Decker on the base paths, would be the one to score Maine's third run. After a single from Maddie Moore, Laurine German would reach on a fielder's choice which erased Moore at second. However, a throwing error by the Wolverines allowed Tinsman to score, cutting the lead to 7-3.

However, Maine could not get any closer, falling in game two by a score of 7-3.

Molly Flowers picked up the loss for Maine after allowing seven runs, three earned, on seven hits with four strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Bogdanovich came in relief to provide 1.2 innings of shutout action.

Maine travels to take on BYU in doubleheader action beginning Wednesday, March 15 at 6 p.m.

-UMaine-