5/4/06

Thomas Eliminates UMF from NAC Softball Playoffs with 4-0, Extra Inning Win

Thomas College scored four times in the top of the eighth to snap a scoreless tie and defeat Farmington, 4-0, today in NAC Softball Tournament quarterfinal action.   UMF, the defending NAC Champions, ends its season with a 21-11 record.

UMF starter Sarah Defilipp (Brewer, ME) made quick work of the Terriers through the first seven innings, entering the extra session with a no-hitter intact.  In the eighth, however, she surrendered three hits and was victimized by two infield errors, which led to three unearned runs.  In the bottom of the inning, UMF put runners at the corners with two away, but a groundout ended the game and the Beavers’ season.

The Beavers mustered three hits – two by nine-spot hitter Kelly McDonough (Windham, ME) – while Defilipp pitched all 8.0 innings, allowing three hits and four runs (one earned).  She did not surrender a walk while striking out seven.   Box 1

Berry Named to First Team All-NAC Softball Squad

Senior Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) was selected as a First Team All-North Atlantic Conference (NAC) honoree, one of three UMF softball players to be honored with postseason honors.  In addition, Holly Tripp (Ellsworth, ME) and Kristi Cochin (Sanford, ME) earned Second Team honors.

Berry finished the regular season as the league’s top hitter (.489) and also paced the conference in hits (45) and doubles (14).  She was named the NAC Player of the Week once during the season.

Tripp hit .306 during the regular season for UMF, including six doubles and nine RBI, while Cochin finished at .298 with five doubles, one triple, one home run and 12 RBI.

The Beavers tied Elms for first in the NAC East Division standings and earned the No. 2 seed in the playoffs following a 21-10 finish during the regular season.

4/30/06

UMF Softball Hosts Thomas in NAC Quarterfinals on Tues.

The UMF softball team’s defense of its 2005 league championship starts with a local challenge, as the second-seeded Beavers (21-10, 7-3 NAC) will host the third-seeded Terriers (18-19, 6-4) on Tuesday, May 2 at 4:00 p.m. at Prescott Field in Farmington.  UMF swept a doubleheader from Thomas earlier this year, winning a pair of one-run games (2-1 and 1-0). 

The Beavers closed out the regular season with a doubleheader split vs. Bowdoin College on Friday, April 28, thus ending their season with wins in seven of the final eight games.  Senior Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) is the team’s top hitter, finishing the regular season with a .489 average that includes a .633 mark in her final 10 contests.  Lauren Overlock (Belfast, ME) enters the postseason on a high note, hitting .429 over the final 10 games and .326 on the season from the leadoff spot.  Holly Tripp (Ellsworth, ME) and Sara Martin (Strong, ME) also finished over .300 and provide good balance in the lineup.  As a team, UMF is hitting .302. 

The pitching staff posted a 3.00 team ERA, despite losing its top hurler from last season.  Lauren Stacey (West Baldwin, ME) and Meagan Carman (Unity, ME) combined for 15 of UMF’s 21 victories, led by Carman’s 8-1 mark.  A pair of young hurlers, Sarah Defilipp (Brewer, ME) and Liz Bergeron (Milford, ME), provided valuable innings this season as well.  Defensively, UMF committed 51 errors, resulting in 31 unearned runs.

Thomas is led offensively by Brittany Morin (.384) and Kayla Beaudoin (.375) and hit .257 as a team during the regular season.  Joy Ireland (.346) is third on the team in hitting, but no other regular has an average higher than .250.  Ireland also headlines the pitching staff, having posted a 12-7 record during the regular season with a 1.21 ERA.  Thomas committed 61 errors in 37 games, which led to 41 unearned runs.    

4/28/06

UMF Splits Softball Twinbill with Bowdoin

On Senior Day in Farmington, Kristi Cochin (Sanford, ME) was 4-for-5 with three RBI and Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) was 3-for-5 with three RBI to lead the UMF softball team to an 11-9, game over victory over Bowdoin this afternoon at Prescott Field.  Bowdoin bounced back to win the second game, 9-3, which pushed UMF’s record to 21-10 overall to end the regular season.  Berry finished the afternoon 5-for-7 and is batting .737 with 13 RBI in her last six games.

Bowdoin jumped out to a 2-0, first inning lead in the opener, but the Beavers fought back with single runs in the first and second and trailed, 3-2, after two.  Lauren Overlock (Belfast, ME) reached on an error to lead off the first and scored on Cochin’s first hit of the game.  In the second, Overlock delivered Breanna Conners (Madison, ME), who had reached on a leadoff walk, with a two-out single.  After a scoreless third, UMF posted six runs in the fourth to take an 8-3 lead, highlighted by a two-run single from Berry and back-to-back, RBI doubles by Megan McCrum (Bangor, ME) and Holly Tripp (Ellsworth, ME).  The Polar Bears pulled within one, 8-7, following a three-run fifth, but UMF sealed the win with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth as Cochin singled home the first two and Berry drove in the third with her third hit of the game.

In the nightcap, Bowdoin jumped out to a 6-2 lead after three on its way to the 9-3 win.  Cochin added a triple to Berry’s 2-for-2 performance as UMF collected seven hits.   Box 1   Box 2

Berry Named NAC Player of the Week

Senior Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) was named the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday, April 23.  Berry hit .500 last week (14-for-28) including 9-for-12 (.750) in a 4-0 weekend that included doubleheader sweeps of NAC opponents Johnson State and Castleton State.

In the games against Johnson State and Castleton State, Berry collected four doubles, one triple and drove in 10 runs.  She had four RBI in the first inning of game one vs. Johnson State, drilling a two-run single and two-run double during UMF’s eight-run effort. For the week, Berry slugged .786 and posted a .589 on-base percentage.

With just two regular season games remaining, Berry is second in the league in hitting (.471), first in hits (40), first in doubles (14) and second in total bases (56).  She also leads UMF with 17 RBI and 27 runs scored and a .541 on-base percentage.

4/23/06

UMF Softball Runs Win Streak to Six, Reaches 20-Win Mark with Sweep of Castleton

The top three hitters in the UMF softball lineup – Lauren Overlock (Belfast, ME), Kristi Cochin (Sanford, ME) and Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) – combined for 12 hits, including five each from Overlock and Berry, in a doubleheader sweep of Castleton State by identical 8-3 scores today at Prescott Field in Farmington.  

In the opener, UMF fell behind 2-0 heading into the bottom of the third, but rallied for a single run in the third and five more in the fourth to seal the win.  A Overlock fielder’s choice produced the first UMF run, while in the fourth, Overlock (two-run double), Cochin (RBI single) and Berry (RBI triple) did the major damage.  Berry knocked in two more runs in the sixth with a two-run double to add some insurance runs.  Freshman Sarah Defilipp (Brewer, ME) allowed two earned run in the complete-game victory, striking out nine over 7.0 innings of work.  Megan McCrum (Bangor, ME) was 2-for-3.

Castleton scored twice in the opening inning of game two, but the Beavers broke the game open with a seven-run third inning, highlighted by a pair of two-run doubles from Berry and Overlock and RBI singles by Erin Porter (Bangor, ME) and Sara Martin (Strong, ME).  UMF’s final run scored in the fifth when Berry walked and later scored on a wild pitch.  Meagan Carman (Unity, ME) pitched all seven innings for her second win in as many days, allowing one earned run in 7.0 innings of work.

Berry led UMF with a .750 batting average (9-for-12) in four NAC victories this weekend, including four doubles, one triple and 10 RBI.  She slugged 1.250% and posted a .769 on-base percentage.  Overlock hit .714 (5-for-7) in those same four games, driving in six runs and posting a .778 on-base percentage from the leadoff spot.  The Beavers hit .380 as a team.  Box 1   Box 2

4/22/06

Berry Leads UMF Softball To Sweep of Johnson State

Senior Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) went 4-for-6 and knocked in five runs – four of which came in the first inning of game one – to lead the UMF softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Johnson State this afternoon in Farmington.  UMF scored all nine of its runs in the first inning of a 9-2, game one victory, then scored seven unanswered runs in the nightcap, winning by a score of 7-3.  With the sweep, UMF is now 18-9 overall and 9-3 in NAC play.

The Beavers took advantage of some wildness in the first inning of game one, turning eight first-inning walks into a 9-0 lead, as Berry drove in the first two runs with a double to left and then two more later in the inning with a crisp single.  Megan Goodrow (Oakland, ME), who walked in her first at bat, followed Berry’s two-RBI single with a run-scoring single of her own to cap the scoring.  The Beavers were one out away from a mercy-rule shortened victory, but Johnson scored twice to extend the game.  The Beavers finished with just five hits, led by two apiece from Berry and Holly Tripp (Ellsworth, ME).  Lauren Stacey (West Baldwin, ME) allowed both runs in 4.2 innings of work before leaving the game due to injury. 

Johnson scored twice in the top of the first in game two, but the Beavers rallied to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning.  Sarah Defilipp (Brewer, ME) led off with a single and scored on Berry’s single, while Goodrow delivered Berry with a sacrifice fly.  UMF added two more in the second, highlighted by an RBI single from Alix Raymond (West Harford, CT), and another in the third when Berry doubled and scored on an infield groundout.  Johnson drew to within two, 5-3, with a pair of runs in the fifth, but UMF countered with two more runs on Defilipp’s RBI single, which sealed the win.  Meagan Carman (Unity, ME) pitched four innings to pick up the win and improve to 6-1, while Liz Bergeron (Milford, ME) allowed an unearned run over the final three innings to pick up her third save of the season.   Box 1   Box 2

4/19/06

UMF Softball Moves Past Thomas With Doubleheader Sweep

A pair of tight, one-run victories for the UMF softball team (16-9, 7-3 NAC) over Thomas College (11-17, 6-4) gave the Beavers an important sweep today in Farmington and pushed them past the Terriers into second place in the NAC’s East Division standings.  A pair of superior pitching efforts from Megan Carman (Unity, ME) and Sarah Defilipp (Brewer, ME) was the difference this afternoon, as both hurled complete-game victories.

In the opener, despite managing just two hits and committing five errors, UMF did enough things right to pull out a 2-1 victory.  The Beavers scored both of their runs in the second, when Megan McCrum (Bangor, ME), who reached on a single, moved to third on a single by Kelly McDonough (Windham, ME) and scored on a passed ball for the game’s first run.  Holly Tripp (Ellsworth, ME), who had walked earlier in the inning, scored on a two-out wild pitch to push the lead to 2-0.  The lead remained at 2-0 into the seventh, when Thomas reached Carman for a run, aided by a two-out infield error.  With the tying run on first, Carman regrouped and induced a 4-3 groundout to end the game and improve her season record to 5-1.  Kristi Cochin (Sanford, ME) had the only other hit for UMF, a leadoff single in the third inning.

In the second game, UMF scored the game’s only run in the sixth, when Tripp reached on a one-out single and advanced to second when Brandi Rideout (Matawamkeag, ME), who reached on an infield error, was thrown out trying to score.  With Tripp on second, Sara Martin (Strong, ME) delivered a single, allowing Tripp to score the decisive run.  Defilipp then retired the side in order in the seventh to preserve the complete-game victory and sweep of the Terriers.  Defilipp allowed just two hits in 7.0 innings, striking out six.  She retired the final nine hitters she faced and 16 of the last 17.   Box 1   Box 2

4/18/06

SJC Monks Sweep Farmington in Softball Action

Saint Joseph’s College rallied to claim a 6-5 win in the opener and then 6-0 lead through three innings in the nightcap, en route to a 7-5 win, as the Monks swept a non-league doubleheader from UMF (14-9) this afternoon in Standish.

UMF scored twice in the first inning of game one, as Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) and Megan Goodrow (Oakland, ME) delivered back-to-back, RBI singles to put the Beavers on the board early.  SJC, however, rallied for three runs in the bottom half of the inning before UMF countered with a single run in the second when Holly Tripp (Ellsworth, ME) led off with a double and later scored on a wild pitch.  In the third, UMF tacked on two more runs for a 5-3 lead, highlighted by Megan McCrum’s (Bangor, ME) RBI double and and a run-scoring single from Breanna Conners (Madison, ME), which scored Berry and Goodrow (inning-opening singles).  Following a scoreless fourth, the Monks scored three in the fifth and held on for the 6-5 win.

Goodrow led the offense with a 3-for-4 effort, while Berry and Conners each added two hits to the cause.  Lauren Stacey (West Baldwin, ME) allowed five runs on seven hits in 4.0 innings, while Megan Carman (Unity, ME) suffered the loss in relief.

Saint Joe’s momentum continued into the second game with a run in the first and five more in the third for a quick, 6-0 lead.  Farmington clawed back with four runs in the fourth, highlighted by a double from Berry and run scoring singles from Goodrow and Erin Porter (Bangor, ME).  UMF then pulled within one, 6-5, on McCrum’s RBI double in the fifth, which scored Goodrow (fielder’s choice), but the Monks added an insurance run to seal the victory and complete the sweep.

Sarah Defilipp (Brewer, ME) was saddled with the loss (4.0 IP, 6 H, 6 R) and Kristi Cochin (Sanford, ME) was the top hitter, finishing 3-for-4.  Box 1   Box 2

4/17/06

UMF Softball Edges Colby, 5-4, in 12 Innings

An errant throw in the bottom of the 12^th inning allowed Breanna Conners (Madison, ME) to score the winning run and lift UMF (14-7) to a 5-4 victory over Colby this afternoon in non-league softball action at Prescott Field in Farmington.  The two teams played to a scoreless tie through seven innings of regulation, then exchanged a pair of runs in the eighth and single runs in the 10^th and 11^th innings before Farmington secured the victory.

After Colby went ahead, 2-0, in the top of the eighth, the Beavers fought back to tie the score and extend the game with a pair of their own runs.  Lauren Overlock (Belfast, ME) singled home the first run and scored on a two-out single by Megan McCrum (Bangor, ME), staving off defeat for the first time.  In the 10^th, down to their final out once again, UMF scored the tying run on a throwing error and used a groundout to tie the game a third time in the bottom of the 11^th.

Liz Bergeron (Milford, ME) earned the win for Farmington, pitching the final 4.0 innings and preserving a strong starting effort from Meagan Carmen (Unity, ME), who allowed just three hits in four shutout innings of work.  Overlock was UMF”s lone repeat hitter, finishing 2-for-3 with a run scored.   Box Score

4/14/06

UMF Softball Drops Pair at Lasell

The UMF softball team (13-7, 5-3) lost a pair of games at Lasell on Friday, falling in the opener, 10-2, and the second game, 3-2, in nine innings. 

After a pair of scoreless innings, Lasell struck for seven runs in the third, using five-straight singles to open the inning to plate three runs and then a triple and home run on successive at bats to score the final four.  The Beavers fought back with two runs in the top of the fourth on RBI singles from Renee Trafton (Corinth, ME) and Sara Martin (Strong, ME), but the Lasers added three more in the fifth – all with two outs – to secure the shortened victory. 

The second game was much more competitive, as UMF took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Kristi Cochin (Sanford, ME) and Holly Tripp (Ellsworth, ME) orchestrated doubles to score the game’s first run.  Lasell, however, tied the game in the bottom of the fifth and the score remained 1-1 through seven innings of regulation play.  The Beavers took a 2-1 lead in the eighth on Mary Berry’s (Norridgewock, ME) two-out single, but Lasell tied in the bottom half of the inning and, after holding UMF scoreless in the ninth, scored an unearned run to pull out the 3-2 win.  Hard-luck loser Sarah Defillip (Brewer, ME) pitched all eight innings, allowing just one earned run, while striking out eight.

4/12/06

UMF Softball Sweeps Maine Maritime

The UMaine-Farmington softball team swept a NAC doubleheader at Maine Maritime today, winning the opener, 10-3, and the second game, 9-0.  In the first game, Lauren Overlock (Belfast, ME) and Sara Martin (Strong, ME) delivered RBI doubles as Lauren Stacey (West Baldwin, ME) improved to 6-2 with a strong starting effort.  In the nightcap, Renee Trafton (Corinth, ME) drilled a three-run triple to fuel the 9-0 win, while Brandi Rideout (Mattawamkeag, ME) hit an inside-the-park home run.  Sarah Defilipp (Brewer, ME), who leads the NAC in ERA at 1.23, improved to 2-1 this season with a complete-game victory.  The Beavers are now 13-5 overall and 5-1 in NAC play. 

Box scores were not made available.

4/10/06

UMF Softball Splits with Husson

It was a tale of two games for the UMF softball team this afternoon in Farmington, as the Beavers registered an 11-2 win over Husson in the opener, but fell, 5-3, in extra frames in the second game.  While a 16-hit attack, including a 4-for-4 performance from Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) spurned the opening game victory, UMF mustered just six hits and committed four errors – three in extra innings – in the game two loss.  With the split, the Beavers are now 11-5 overall and 3-1 in NAC play.

In the opener, the Beavers fell behind 1-0 after the first, but scored three in the second, two in the third and three more in each of the fourth and fifth innings to pull away for an 11-2 victory in a game called after five innings.  Berry, who entered the day ranked second in the NAC with a .514 batting average, finished the game 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI, while Megan Goodrow (Oakland, ME) drilled a three-run homer in the fifth to complete the scoring.  The bottom third of the order – Breanna Conners (Madison, ME), Sara Martin (Strong, ME) and Kelly McDonough (Windham, ME) – combined for seven hits as well.  Lauren Stacey (West Baldwin, ME) picked up her second win in as many days, allowing five hits and two runs in 5.0 innings of work to improve to 5-2 this season.

In the second game, UMF scored in the first and again in the third to take a 2-0 lead.  Lauren Overlock (Belfast, ME) led off the first with a walk, moved into scoring position by stealing second base and then scored on Goodrow’s two-out single.  Kristi Cochin (Sanford, ME) opened the third with a double and later scored on a two-out single from Brandi Rideout (Mattawamkeag, ME).  Holding a 2-0 lead into the sixth, the Beavers ran into trouble in the sixth, as inning-opening, back-to-back doubles and an infield error allowed Husson to tie the game.  Following a scoreless seventh, Husson used an error in the eighth to take a 3-2 lead, although the Beavers tied the game on Rideout’s sacrifice fly.  In the ninth, however, two more UMF errors led to a pair of Husson runs and gave the Braves a 5-3 victory.  Rideout was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI in the game and Sarah Defilipp (Brewer, ME) suffered her first collegiate loss, allowing five runs (two earned) in 7.0 innings of relief. Game 1   Game 2

4/9/06

UMF Softball Fires On All Cylinders in Sweep of Lesley

Strong pitching performances from Lauren Stacey (West Baldwin, ME) in game one and Meagan Carman (Unity, ME) in game two and a total of 22 hits and 14 runs lifted the UMF softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Lesley this afternoon in the Beavers’ home opener.  UMF won the first, 8-0, in five innings and recorded a 6-2 victory in the nightcap to improve to 10-4 overall and 2-0 in NAC play.

UMF scored in just two innings in the opener, but scored three in the second and five in the fifth on its way to victory.  In the third, Holly Tripp (Ellsworth, ME) led off with an infield single and scored two batters later on a double by Megan McCrum (Bangor, ME).  McCrum later scored on a single from Kelly McDonough (Windham, ME), who finished 3-for-3 with three RBI in the game.  McDonough then crossed on an infield error for the 3-0 lead.  The Beavers added five more in the fifth, highlighted by McDonough’s two-run double, a pinch-hit, RBI single from Brandi Rideout (Mattawamkeag, ME) and an RBI double from Lauren Overlock (Belfast, ME), which ended the game.  Stacey allowed just three hits and one walk in 5.0 innings of work to pick up the win and improve her season record to 4-2.

In the second game, UMF scored twice in the first, on an RBI double from Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) and Rideout’s RBI single and two more in the second on RBI doubles from Overlock and Berry.  Sarah Martin (Strong, ME) doubled home another run in the third, pushing the lead to 5-0, and an infield groundout scored the game’s final run in the fifth.  Carman was three outs away from a complete-game shutout before Lesley scored twice in the final inning.  Carman (4-0) allowed seven hits and two runs, striking out four, in 7.0 innings of work.  Berry (2-for-3, two doubles) led the offensive attack.

UMF split a doubleheader on Saturday at Lyndon State, winning the opener, 5-1, before failing, 1-0, in nine innings in the second.  Liz Bergeron (Milford, ME) fired eight no-hit innings before a ninth-inning double pushed across the game’s only run.  Lyndon 1  Lyndon 2  Lesley 1  Lesley 2

4/6/06

UMF Softball Drops Close Games at Bowdoin

The UMF softball team suffered a pair of tough losses today in Brunswick, falling to Bowdoin 4-1 and 4-2 in a non-league doubleheader.  The second game was especially frustrating, as the Polar Bears used a walk-off, two-run home run to snap a 2-2 tie and secure the victory.  With the losses, UMF is now 7-3 while Bowdoin improves to 9-11.

Bowdoin scored once in the first and three times in the third to open a 4-0 advantage in the first game, while holding the Beaver offense in check through the first five innings.  In the sixth, Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) stroked a one-out double and scored on a single by Megan Goodrow (Oakland, ME) to spoil the shutout.  The Beavers managed seven hits in the game – two each by Goodrow and Lauren Overlock (Belfast, ME) – and received 3.1 innings of shutout relief from Sarah Defillip (Brewer, ME). 

In the nightcap, UMF fell behind 1-0 but rallied to take a 2-1 lead in the fourth as Berry started the rally with a single and moved into scoring position on Goodrow’s walk.  Two batters later, Brienna Conners (Madison, ME) scored Berry with a crisp single to center and Goodrow scored on an infield error.  UMF threatened with runners at second and third, but an infield groundout and flyout ended the threat.

Down to its final three outs, Bowdoin pushed across its first run on an error to tie the game and then its next batter,  Megan Rogers, lofted a two-run homer to finish off the comeback.  Meagan Carman (Unity, ME) worked the first 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on six hits in another strong pitching effort.  Berry finished the game 2-for-4 as UMF’s lone repeat hitter.

Game 1   Game 2

4/3/06

Bergeron Named NAC Softball Rookie of the Week

Freshman Liz Bergeron (Milford, ME) has been named the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Rookie of the Week for the week ending Sunday, April 2.  Bergeron factored in all three of Farmington’s victories last week and is the second UMF player in as many weeks to earn conference recognition, joining Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME), who was the NAC Player of the Week last week.

Bergeron appeared in three of four games for the Beavers, picking up a pair of saves and a win in a 3-1 week.  On Thursday at the University of New England, Bergeron saved both ends of a doubleheader, pitching 3.2 perfect innings of relief.  She worked 1.2 innings in the opener, striking out two, and 2.0 innings in the second game, striking out two more.  On Saturday at Bates, Bergeron picked up the win in relief in game two, allowing three earned runs in 4.0 innings of work, recording four strikeouts. 

UMF (7-1) returns to action on Wednesday, when it hosts Husson in a 3pm doubleheader.
 

4/1/06

UMF Softball Rallies for Split of Doubleheader at Bates

After dropping the opening game, 9-1, for its first loss of the season, the UMF softball team rallied for a 7-6 win in the second game this afternoon, salvaging a split with Bates College in Lewiston.  Freshman Erin Porter (Bangor, ME) was the offensive hero in the win, delivering a key, two-run double during UMF’s four-run fifth inning, which built a 7-3 lead at the time.  With the split, UMF is now 7-1, while Bates moves to 5-5.

The second game began as a back-and-forth affair, with Bates scoring a single run in the first against UMF starter Megan Carman (Unity, ME).  The Beavers rallied for three in the top half of the second, as Brandi Rideout (Mattawamkeag, ME) delivered the first run with an RBI groundout and Kelly McDonough (Windham, ME) followed with a two-out single to put UMF in the lead, 2-1.  After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) patiently worked a bases-loaded walk to force home McDonough for a 3-1 lead.

The two-run cushion was short-lived, however, as Bates tacked on a single run in the second and used a leadoff home run in the fourth from Stacia Saniuk to tie the game.  In the top of the fifth, the Beavers rallied for four runs to take a 7-3 lead.  A leadoff single by Berry preceded an infield error and a walk which loaded the bases for Porter, who was making her first plate appearance of the game.  She delivered a two-run double to give UMF a 5-3 lead, while Sara Martin (Strong, ME) and Rideout followed with RBI groundouts to increase the lead to 7-3.  Those final two runs proved crucial, as Bates struck for three in the bottom of the fifth against Liz Bergeron (Milford, ME), who then settled down to pitch a 1-2-3 sixth and leave a pair of runners stranded in the seventh to preserve the victory.   UMF managed just four hits in the game, but took advantage of five walks and three Bobcat errors.

In the opener, Bates scored three in the first and four more in the third to cruise past UMF, 9-1.  UMF’s lone run came across in the fifth, when McCrum led off with a single, moved to third on Porter’s double and scored on an RBI single by Kate Ross (Belfast, ME).  Lauren Stacey (West Baldwin, ME) took the loss, allowing seven runs (all unearned) due in large part to eight UMF errors.  Six different players collected a hit in the opener.

UMF returns to action on Wednesday, when it hosts Thomas in the first home game of the season.  Box 1   Box 2   Season Stats

3/30/06

Pitching Keeps UMF Softball Perfect With Sweep of UNE

Liz Bergeron (Milford, Maine) recorded a save in each game, pitching a total of 3.2 perfect innings, to support the outstanding starting pitching of Lauren Stacey (West Baldwin, ME) and Megan Carman (Unity, ME) as UMF softball team held UNE scoreless over 14 innings in a doubleheader sweep (3-0, 1-0) this afternoon at Claude Dubois Field in Biddeford.  The Beavers are now 6-0 and have allowed just three runs thus far this season.

In the opener, UMF and UNE battled through five scoreless frames before the Beavers pushed across two runs in the sixth and another in the seventh.  With a pair of runners on base and two outs in the sixth, Megan McCrum (Bangor, ME) came through in the clutch, singling home Kristi Cochin (Sanford, ME) and Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME), who had reached on an error and bunt single, respectively.  With the bases loaded and no out, Megan Goodrow (Oakland, ME) grounded into a home-to-first double play before McCrum delivered the game’s biggest hit.  Another UNE miscue allowed the game’s third run to score in the seventh.

Stacey (5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R) improve to 3-0 with help from Bergeron, who pitched a perfect 1.2 innings of relief, striking out two. 

In the nightcap, UMF scored an unearned run in the first and Carman made that run stand up in a 1-0 victory.  Berry reached on a two-out walk, moved to second on a single from Goodrow and came around to score when a fly ball by Holly Tripp (Ellsworth, ME) was misplayed.  The Beavers threatened in the fourth and sixth innings, putting a pair of runners on base in each frame, but could not add to its lead.  That was of little concern for Carman, who lasted 5.0 innings, allowing five hits, while Bergeron was perfect over the final two frames.

UMF returns to action at Bates on Saturday, with the first of two games set to begin at 1:00 p.m.  Game 1  Game 2

3/27/06

Berry Named NAC Softball Player of the Week

Senior Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) has been named the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday, March 26.  Berry hit safely in eight of nine at bats in a 4-0 weekend for the Beavers (.889), scoring seven runs and driving in two others.

The senior was 5-for-6 with four runs scored in a doubleheader sweep of Mt. Ida on Friday and then went 3-for-3 with three runs, a pair of walks, doubles and RBI in a sweep of Bay Path on Saturday. She slugged 1.011% for the week and posted a .909 on-base percentage.

UMF swept Mt. Ida and Bay Path to open its season 4-0, outscoring the opposition 45-3 over the weekend.

3/25/06

UMF Softball Explodes for 25 Runs in Sweep of Bay Path

The UMF softball team banged out 27 hits and scored 25 runs en route to a doubleheader sweep of Bay Path this afternoon.  The Beavers posted a 15-2 win in the opener, led by a five RBI effort from Kate Ross (Belfast, ME) and a four RBI effort from Breanna Conners (Madison, ME), and then recorded a 10-0 win in the nightcap, as Megan Carman (Unity, ME) and Liz Bergeron (Milford, ME) combined to no-hit Bay Path.  With the victories, UMF is now 4-0 on the season and has outscored its opponents 45-3 thus far in 2006.

Farmington scored a pair of runs in the first inning of game one on RBI singles from Megan McCrum (Bangor, ME) and Sara Martin (Strong, ME) and scored four more in the third to snap a 2-2 tie, highlighted by the first of Conners’ two, two-run doubles.  A two-run single from Ross in the fifth extended the lead to 8-2 and a seven-run outburst in the sixth sealed the win.  Sara Defilipp (Brewer, ME) drove in the first run with a single and Conners and Ross each drove in two runs on the next two at bats.  Lauren Stacey (West Baldwin, ME) picked up the win, allowing two unearned runs in three innings of work.

In game two, UMF scored five times in the first, highlighted by a two-run double from Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) and added two more in the second and third before plating a single run in the fourth to finish the scoring, as the game was called after five innings.  Holly Tripp (Ellsworth, ME) was 2-for-2 with two RBI, while Megan Goodrow (Oakland, ME) was also 2-for-2, scoring two runs.  Carman (2.0 IP, 0 H, 4 K) and Bergeron (3.0 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 4 K) combined to shut down Bay Path, as Carman recorded the victory.  Game 1  Game 2

3/24/06

UMF Softball Opens Season with Impressive Sweep of Mt. Ida

The UMF softball team began its NAC championship defense with a doubleheader sweep of Mt. Ida this afternoon in Newton, MA, wining the opener, 9-0, and the nightcap, 11-1.  The Beavers (2-0) banged out 23 hits in the two games and played error-free defense behind outstanding pitching efforts from Lauren Stacey (West Baldwin, ME) and Meagan Carman (Unity, ME) a strong offensiveeffort from Kristi Cochin (Springvale, ME).

In the opener, Stacey held Mt. Ida to just six hits in a complete-game shutout, while the offense took advantage of timely hitting and some errors to post its first win of the season.  After scoring two unearned runs in the first inning, UMF tacked on single runs in the third and fourth frames, with Sara Martin (Strong, ME) driving in the game’s fourth run with a two-out single in the fourth.  After a scoreless fifth, UMF erupted for five runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Cochin and run-scoring singles from Martin and Holly Tripp (Ellsworth, ME). 

The Beavers scored 11 runs over the first three innings in the nightcap, posting three runs in each of the first two innings and five more in the third to back Carman (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R).  Cochin led the way offensively, collecting three hits in three at bats, including a three-run home run in third inning to cap a productive start to her season.  Breanna Conners (Madison, ME) also knocked in three runs, using a pair of groundouts sandwiched around a second-inning single.  Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) was also 3-for-3, scoring three times.

The Beavers return to action tomorrow, when they travel to Bay Path for a noon doubleheader.  Game 1  Game 2

2006 UMF Softball Preview

Expectations are high for the UMF softball team in 2006, following its NAC Championship in 2005.  With one of the deepest teams in recent memory ready to open the season, there is much optimism surrounding the Beavers this spring.  Picked to finish second in the preseason NAC coaches poll, the talent and experienced gained last season has impressed coaches league-wide.  Full Story

3/20/06

UMF SOFTBALL PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN NAC PRESEASON POLL

The University of Maine at Farmington softball team, which claimed the 2005 NAC Softball Championship, was tabbed to finish second in the preseason NAC Coaches poll, released on Monday, March 20.  The Beavers trail only Elms College, which went undefeated last season in regular season play before falling to the Beavers in the conference tournament.  UMF also received four of 13 first-place votes in the poll.

The Beavers return eight starters this season, led by outfielders Mary Berry (Norridgewock, ME) and Kristi Cochin (Springvale, ME).  Berry (.436) and Cochin (.356) finished 1-2 on the team in hitting last season while Kelly McDonough (Windham, ME) and Brandi Rideout (Mattawamkeag, ME) tied for third at .303.

The Beavers open their 2006 season this Friday, March 24, at Mt. Ida and play again on Saturday at Bay Path, with doubleheaders scheduled with both schools.