Softball Drops Contest with UConn, 8-2

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Connecticut (5-9)	5	0	0	0	2	1	0	8	11	0
Maine (5-18)	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	8	1
@ Hempstead, N.Y. | Hofstra SB Stadium

Pitching
Win: DUGGAN (2-3) - Connecticut
Loss: Beth Spoehr (2-5) - Maine

Connecticut Batting
2B: O'DONNELL; VAUGHAN
3B: DUCLOS
HR: O'DONNELL; VAUGHAN; SILVA

Maine Batting
2B: Hilary Kane; Jenny Macdowell; Chelsea Kunin
3B: none
HR: none

full stats

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- The Black Bears were unable to overcome a 5-0 first inning deficit as they fell by a score of 8-2 to UConn on day one of the Hofstra Invitational. The loss slips Maine back to 5-18 on the season while the Huskies improve to 5-9. Chelsea Kunin (Carlsbad, Calif.) paced the Maine offense as she went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored while Jennifer Eberhardt (Glendale, Ariz.) also had a 2-for-3 day with a walk.

UConn jumped out to a 5-0 lead after one inning of play on a pair of home runs in the top of the first. Amy Vaughn started the scoring for the Huskies with a three run shot to right center before Kim Silva added a two-run homer to right field.

The Black Bears looked to chip away at the early Husky lead as Brynne Davis (Winslow, Maine) attempted to start a two-out rally when she ripped a single to third. Davis advanced to third on a double to center field from Chelsea Kunin (Carlsbad, Calif.) However, with runners on second and third and two outs, the Huskies were able to induce a ground ball to escape the jam.

Maine start Beth Spoehr (Appleton, Wis.) and the Black Bear defense were able to keep the Huskies off the board through the next three innings until UConn tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Vaughn started the inning with a double and scored on a triple from Brittany Duclos. Andrea Huelsenbeck followed with a single, scoring Duclos, and giving the Huskies a 7-0 lead.

The Black Bears answered with a run in the home half of the fifth. Kunin started the inning by reaching on a single to short. Kunin advanced to second on a passed ball and reached third on a wild pitch before Dagmar Ralphs (O'Fallon, Ill.) grounded out the pitcher, allowing Kunin to score from third.

UConn added a run in the top of the sixth on a solo homer to left by Emily O'Donnell.

Maine continued to battle as Ralphs' two-out single in the bottom of the seventh began a late rally for Maine. Eberhardt followed with a walk, giving Maine runners on first and second with two away. Hilary Kane (Concord, N.H.) ripped a double into left field, allowing Ralphs to score from second. But that would be as close as Maine would get, dropping the contest 8-2 to UConn.

Spoehr picks up the loss for Maine as she went four innings while giving up seven runs, four earned, on nine hits. Spoehr walked two and fanned two in the start. Kylie Sparks (Kirkland, Wash.) pitched three innings of relief for the Black Bears, giving up one run on two hits with one strikeout.

Lauren Duggan gets the win for UConn as she went 6.2 innings while giving up two runs on eight hits with four walks.

The Black Bears close out the Hofstra Invitational tomorrow as they battle UConn at 10 AM before taking the field against Hofstra at 12:30 PM.

-U-M-