ORONO, Maine -- Freshman
Kyleigh O'Donnell struck out a career-high 12 hitters to help lead the Black Bears to a 3-0 win in game two of Wednesday's home opening doubleheader against UMass Lowell at Kessock Field.
The Black Bears (14-16, 5-2) dropped the opener of the two-game stand, 1-0, in eight innings.
O'Donnell went the distance in the shutout, earning her fourth victory of the season after fanning 12 while scattering just two hits.
On a day where neither team was able to muster much offense,
Laurine German paced Maine's attack with a pair of hits and one run scored.
In game one, UMass Lowell's (12-18, 6-2) Lovina Capria fired an eight-inning, one-hit shutout to stymie Maine's offense and help propel the River Hawks to a 1-0 victory.
Annie Kennedy was also impressive in the circle for the Black Bears. Kennedy also went the distance, scattering nine hits while surrendering just one run with one strikeout.
UMass Lowell threatened in the sixth with two on and one out. Kennedy and the defense would record the second out of the inning on a fielder's choice putout by German to
Alyssa Derrick, erasing the lead runner at third. The River Hawks kept the pressure on as they were able to load the bases with two down. However, Kennedy and the defense would escape the jam when Kennedy produced a ground ball to third in which Derrick fielded cleanly, gunning the ball across the diamond to retire the side.
The River Hawks again threatened in the seventh. With runners on first and second and one out, Madison Alcorn dropped a single into short center. Samantha McQueen hit third and looked to score the go ahead run but
Rachel Carlson fielded the base hit cleanly and fired a dart to Maine catcher
Maddie Decker. Decker applied the tag, erasing the runner at the plate and ultimately keeping the game scoreless.
The game entered extra innings where UMass Lowell was able to produce the game's first run in the top of the eighth. A leadoff single and a sacrifice bunt moved pinch runner Colleen Frank to second. A groundout advanced Frank to third before she came in to score on Sydney Barker's RBI double to the gap in left center.
Maine was unable to get the offense going in the home half of the eighth as it would drop game one to the River Hawks, 1-0.
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In game two, O'Donnell and the defense held UMass Lowell to just two hits as Maine broke through for three runs in the sixth to capture a 3-0 victory.
The Black Bears began the sixth with back-to-back infield singles from
Emily Gilmore and
Rachel Carlson. A bunt single from German loaded the bases before Decker's sac-fly to right brought in Gilmore with the go ahead run. Leonard laid down a bunt which was fielded by the UMass Lowell third baseman. However, she was unable to apply the tag on Carlson, who came in to score on the play. Maine extended its lead to 3-0 when Derrick pushed a bunt down the first base line. Derrick was tagged out on the play but the well placed bunt allowed German to score.
O'Donnell slammed the door the rest of the way, striking out the final two hitters in the seventh to help Maine earn the doubleheader split by a final of 3-0.
Maine remains home and continues America East action with a three-game weekend series against UMBC beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 14 at noon. Maine will close its series with the Retrievers on Sunday with a single game slated for 11 a.m.
-UMaine-
