Lowell, Mass. -- The University of Maine softball team (9-18, 4-1 America East) split its conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at UMass Lowell. The Black Bears recorded 13 hits in game one's 8-2 victory before falling in the finale, 5-3.

Rachel Harvey tallied four hits, five RBI, three runs, a home run and stole a pair of bases to lead the way in an impressive offensive day for the senior catcher. Maddie Decker reached base five times, going 3-for-3 with a double and adding a pair of walks. Alyssa Derrick, Rachel Carlson and Erika Leonard each also chipped in three hits.

Annie Kennedy finished the day with 7.2 inning of shutout ball, allowing just five hits in two appearances with three strikeouts. Kennedy entered game one in relief and shut the door on the River Hawks, going 6.1 innings to pick-up the shutout victory while allowing just a pair of hits and fanning two. In game two, Kennedy allowed three hits and no runs in 1.1 innings of work.

In game one, Harvey tallied three of Maine's 13 hits with a home run and added a pair of runs and five RBI. Six Black Bears totaled two or more hits as the Black Bears came back from an early 2-0 deficit to win, 8-2.

UMass Lowell took advantage of walks in the bottom of the first to build a 2-0 lead.

However, Kennedy entered in relief and the Black Bears would not allow a run the rest of the way.

Maine tied the game with two runs in the top of the third. Carlson led off the inning with a single to short before Harvey blasted her second home run of the year over the wall in center.

The Black Bears took the lead with two more runs in the fourth. With two outs and Sarah Coyne on second, Harvey came through again with an RBI single to short. Harvey stole second before coming in to score on Derrick's single to right.

Maine's lead grew to 6-2 with a two-run top of the sixth. Erika Leonard started the inning with a single before Carlson reached on an error. Harvey's bunt would be fielded by the UMass Lowell pitcher. However, the throw would sail over the catcher, allowing both Leonard and Carlson to score.

The Black Bears put the game out of reach with a pair of runs in the seventh. With two outs, Sarah Coyne reached on a single through the left side before stealing second. Coyne would score on Leonard's single to center and later score on Harvey's fifth RBI of the contest.

Kennedy and the Black Bears closed the door in the home half of the seventh to take an 8-2 victory.

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In game two, Maine carried a 3-0 lead into the fifth. However, UMass Lowell's offense came alive for five runs in the fifth as the Black Bears dropped their first conference game of the year, 5-3.

Leonard scored a run and drove in another while Derrick added the second RBI of the game to lead Maine's hitting attack.

The first run of the game came in the top of the first when Derrick's two-out single up the middle brought in Harvey from second.

Maine tacked on a run in the top of the third, again putting together a two-out rally. Carlson's singled to third before advancing on a passed ball. She would come in to score after Derrick ripped a shot to third, which was ruled an error.

The Black Bears built a 3-0 advantage with another run in the fourth, again scoring with two down. Maddie Decker worked a walk before being replaced on the bases by Chloe Douglass. Douglass stole second before moving to third on a fielder's choice. She would later come in to score on Leonard's single to left.

However, UMass Lowell grabbed the lead with a five-run bottom of the fifth, all coming with two outs and all unearned.

Maine was unable to score again, dropping the finale by a final of 5-3.

The Black Bears return to Kessock Field for their home opener on Saturday, April 15 when they host Stony Brook for a doubleheader at noon on ESPN3.

-UMaine-