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Softball team returns for first home games of the year, wins two-out-of-three decisions

By Riley Donovan

Posted on Monday, April 11th, 2005, 12:00 am

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OFF THE LINE - Shortstop Brittany Cheney hits a foul ball during the Black Bears Sunday afternoon game with Hartford. UMaine bounced back from a defeat the day before they took a 3-2 victory.

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The University of Maine softball team won two out of three games this past weekend against conference opponent Hartford. The series between the two teams was the home opener for the Black Bears, who wasted no time getting off to a good start on their home field. UMaine won Sunday’s game 3-2, while splitting Saturday’s afternoon doubleheader. The Black Bears won the first game 7-1 and lost the second 3-2.

The Black Bears, who had a total of one triple going into their home opener, picked up three more in Saturday’s early game. Lauren Dulkis, who bats lead-off for UMaine, walked to start off the bottom of the first. Center fielder Jess Brady tripled, which brought home Dulkis for the games first run. Brittany Cheney came to the plate and hit Maine’s other triple, which brought home Brady to make the score 2-0. A single by Amy Kuhl on the next at bat would score Cheney and UMaine’s lead was 3-0.

“I think the important part of the first game was that we jumped on them early,” said pitcher Sarah Bennis, who controlled the circle for Maine in the first game. “We scored three runs in the first inning and I think that set the tone for the game.”

Things looked good for the Black Bears with a three-run lead and Bennis on the circle. UMaine was not satisfied with their three-run lead however. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Black Bears added four more runs. After the top of the order for UMaine flied and grounded out, Cheney doubled to center field to get things going. With two outs on the board Kuhl was intentionally walked to first. After Molly McKinney walked to load the bases, catcher Lindsey Tibbetts cleared them with UMaine’s third triple of the game.

Dana Grimm would double to center field and bring home Tibbetts and UMaine’s lead was 7-0. UMaine’s 11 hits were a season-high. Hartford got on the board in the top of the sixth inning, but it was not nearly enough to mount a comeback.

Bennis struck out 11 batters. She allowed just five hits and gave up just one run.

The Black Bears success at the plate did not carry over into the second game in Saturday afternoon doubleheader on a yellowish Kessock field.

Jenna Merchant took the circle for UMaine and pitched the full seven innings. She did not allow a hit through the first three innings, but UMaine could not get a hit themselves. Hartford took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when an error by UMaine at first brought in a run for the Hawks.

UMaine scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at one. Dulkis, who led off the inning with a base hit, worked her way around the bases and scored on a Tibbetts single.

While their first run was unearned the Hawks two runs in the top of the seventh were earned. With a runner on second, Amy Sullivan hit a home run for the Hawks, her fourth of the season, to make the score 3-1.

UMaine’s comeback attempt in the bottom of the windy and chilly seventh inning fell short. Dulkis scored her second run of the game, when a wild pitch with the bases loaded allowed her to come home. With two outs, sophomore Briana Hout sealed the deal for the Hawks with a ground out for the games final out.

Senior Candace Jaegge took the circle for the Black Bear on Sunday. She gave up four hits, and allowed two runs, both of which came in the top of the fourth. UMaine had built a two run lead off of a Dulkis triple, the teams fourth of the weekend and fifth of the season. Dulkis rounded third and tried for the home run, but could not beat the throw from third to the plate. She was called out at home, but not before Erin Provost scored the games first run.

After Brady walked, a single by Cheney brought Brady around to score and Maine had a 2-0 lead.

The game went to extra innings and the Black Bears gave it another crack in the bottom of the eight. With Jaegge gone to the bench after six innings pitched, UMaine coach Michelle Puls turned to Bennis, who shut things down for Hartford. She did not give up a hit or allow a base runner in the last two innings and struck out two.

In the bottom of the eighth Brady again reached base on a walk. She stole second for her 67th steal of her career, third of the weekend, and conference leading 17th of the season. After Cheney walked, Kuhl doubled, which brought Brady around to score. UMaine won 3-2.

The Black Bears improved to 4-1 in conference play and 9-17 overall.