VESTAL, N.Y. – The University of Maine softball team, which forced a game two on America East Championship Sunday with a 2-0 victory in game one, fell to UAlbany by a 6-1 decision in the conference championship finale at the Bearcat Softball Complex.
 
The Black Bears, who reached the America East title game for the second-straight season, end the year at 19-25. A three-hour rain delay interrupted the game in the top of the third inning.
 
Maine did not leave empty handed as it took home several individual honors. Alyssa Derrick, Rachel Carlson and Meghan Royle each received America East All-Tournament honors for their stellar postseason play. Derrick went 9-for-14 in the tournament with six RBI, two runs, two doubles and a pair of home runs. Carlson notched seven hits and scored five runs while Royle added four hits, three runs, a home run, a triple and six RBI.
 
Faythe Goins and Erika Leonard received the America East Elite-17 honor, handed out to the student-athletes competing at the championships with the highest grade point average. Goins and Leonard each boast a 3.836 GPA.
 
In game two, Carlson, Derrick and Leonard each tallied a pair of hits to lead the offense. Carlson scored the lone run for the Black Bears.
 
Maine opened the scoring early with a run in the home half of the first. Carlson led off the game with an opposite field single to left and advanced to second on a walk by Felicia Lennon. With two outs in the inning, Maddie Moore dropped an RBI single into left, scoring Carlson from second with the game's first run.
 
Following a three hour and seven minute rain delay, Erin Bogdanovich replaced Molly Flowers in the circle, inheriting a runner on first with no outs. A sacrifice bunt advanced UAlbany's Kayla Bailey to second before Sarah Petzold tied the game with an RBI single up the middle. The Great Danes continued their rally when Liz Snow singled to center. The runners advanced on a passed ball before Chelsea Henige's three-run homer to center put UAlbany on top, 4-1.
 
Maine looked to respond in the third. Singles from Derrick and Leonard put two on with two outs before Maddie Decker worked a walk to load the bases. However, Maine was unable to plate a run as the Great Danes escaped the jam.
 
UAlbany tacked on a pair in the top of the seventh on a two-RBI double up the middle by Donna Conrad.
 
The Black Bears were unable to close the gap in the seventh, dropping game two of the America East Championship finals to UAlbany, 6-1.

-UMaine-