Panther down UW-Sperior after loss to Colby 

            CLERMONT, Fla. – The Plymouth State University softball team wound up its spring break trip to Florida on Friday at the National Training Center, splitting a pair of games for the fourth time in five twinbills this week.

            The Panthers dropped a 3-2 decision to Colby College in the first game Friday, and wrapped up the week on a positive note with a 6-5 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Superior. PSU brings a 5-6 overall record back to New England, while Colby is now 3-7 and UW-Superior is 11-5. 

            PSU was facing a UW-Superior squad that had won three in a row and seven of eight and had swept a pair of nationally-ranked teams on Wednesday (#4 Eastern Connecticut and #23 Benedictine).  The Panthers fell behind 3-1 after the first inning, but put together rallies in three straight innings to pull out the win; they scored two runs in the fourth to tie it, added two in the fifth to take the lead for good, and added an insurance run in the sixth.

            Freshman Amber White (Middleboro, Mass.) earned the win with a complete-game effort. She allowed just two earned runs in seven innings while striking out six.  White gave up two runs in the seventh inning on two walks and two hits but got a pinch-hitter to pop out to end the game with the tying runner at third.

            Junior Heather Blase (Milford, N.H.) had a single, a double and knocked in two runs for the Panthers.  Freshman Jackie Digman (Burlington, Mass.) recorded two hits and an RBI and scored twice, while classmate Sam Hebert (Manchester, N.H./Memorial) added two singles and an RBI and freshman Taylor Mancini (Gansevoort, N.Y.) knocked in a pair.

            Colby took a 2-0 lead in the first game when senior Alyssa Lepore hit a leadoff home run in the second inning and junior Katie Graichen singled home a run in the third.  PSU tied the game in the fourth inning as Digman tripled and scored on an error and sophomore Hilary Lemelin (Milan, N.H.) and sophomore Jenn Bove (Medford, Mass.) singled and Lemelin later scored on a double steal.

            The Mules pulled out the win when senior Lizzi Fort hit a clutch two-out RBI double in the bottom of the sixth and the Panthers couldn't score in the top of the seventh.  Freshman starter Nora Galvin (Windham, N.H./Salem) took the loss after giving up three runs on six hits and a walk and striking out six.

            PSU returns to action on Thursday, Mar. 31, with a non-conference doubleheader at Salem State University (3:30 p.m.).  The Little East Conference opener is next Saturday, Apr. 2, at Rhode Island College. 

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