Clearwater, Fla. -- Annie Kennedy turned in an impressive effort in the circle for the University of Maine softball team to help the Black Bears earn a 5-1 victory over Butler on Friday afternoon. Maine dropped game two of its doubleheader, 9-0, to LIU Brooklyn in five-innings.

In game one, Alyssa Derrick went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored to help propel Maine to its 5-1 win over Butler. Maddie Decker added a pair of hits and an RBI as the Black Bears grabbed their seventh win of the season.

Kennedy went the distance, earning her third win of the season after giving up just one unearned run while scattering six hits and striking out five with no walks.

After Butler pushed across a run in the second, Maine exploded for five runs in the top of the fifth.

Shanna Scribner started the inning with a walk, advanced on an error, moved to third on Meghan Royle's walk and eventually scored on Derrick's RBI single. Faythe Goins drew a bases loaded pinch hit walk to score Sarah Coyne before Decker's single plated Royle. Maine tacked on its fourth run of the inning when Derrick came in on Laurine German's fielder's choice. The lead grew to 5-1 when Kristen Niland's single plated pinch runner Emily Gilmore.

Kennedy and the defense shut down Butler's offense the rest of the way, maintaining the lead and a 5-1 victory.

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In game two, the Black Bears' offense went cold as they were no-hit, dropping a 9-0 decision to LIU Brookyln in a five-inning shortened contest.

The Blackbirds took a 6-0 lead after two with a pair of runs in the first and four more in the second.

LIU put the game away with three runs in the home half of the fourth before shutting Maine down in the top of the fifth.

Maine closes out its Florida Spring Break swing on Saturday when it takes on Florida A&M at 9:45 a.m. before wrapping up the trip with a 2:30 first pitch against Florida Gulf Coast.

-UMaine-