(Middlebury Box) (MIT Box)

            CLERMONT, Fla. – The Plymouth State University softball team suffered two more tough losses to New England schools Thursday evening in a pair of games played in Florida.  The Panthers were blanked by the Panthers of Middlebury College in the first game, 3-0, and were edged by MIT in the second game, 5-4.

            PSU managed just three hits against Middlebury junior Ali McAnaney (Northbrook, Ill.), who went the distance to earn the win.  Middlebury scored the only run they would need in the fifth inning before adding insurance runs in the seventh off PSU freshman Diana Bean (Danvers, Mass.), who also pitched a complete game.  Plymouth State's best chance to score came in the fourth inning when junior Kortney Nedeau (Kennebunk, Maine) doubled but she was stranded on the bases.

            The Panthers smacked out nine hits in the nightcap against MIT but lost a one-run see-saw battle.  PSU took an early 1-0 lead but MIT came back to go ahead 2-1.  It was tied again at 2-2 when MIT scored twice in the fourth inning.  Plymouth State got one back in the fifth, and each team scored in the seventh, but MIT held on for the win.           

            Sophomore Heather Blase (Milford, N.H.) had three hits to lead the Panthers while senior Rachel Pothier (Reading, Mass.) finished with two hits and two RBI.  Nedeau also had two hits and scored two runs, and senior Alyssa Marini (Kingston, N.H./Sanborn Regional) had two hits, including a double.

            Plymouth State, 1-6, will play two games Friday morning to give them four games in less than 24 hours.  PSU will play Colby at 9:30 a.m. and Union College (N.Y.) at 11:30 a.m. to wrap up the Florida schedule. 

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