Panthers have won eight of last 10 games

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Plymouth State University softball team continued its winning ways Tuesday afternoon at D&M Park, sweeping a Little East Conference doubleheader from the University of Southern Maine, 9-6 and 4-1.

            PSU scored nine runs on 10 hits in the opener, including three home runs as the Panthers overcame a 3-0 first-inning deficit.  The home team completed the sweep with a four-run, seven-hit performance in the nightcap while limiting the Huskies to one run.  PSU has won four in a row and eight of its last 10 to improve to 15-12 overall and 3-5 in conference play, while USM fell to 3-27 overall and 1-7 in the LEC.

            The upset-minded Huskies jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of the opener, thanks to three walks and a two-out, three-run double by freshman Annie Mitchell (Gorham, Maine), her first career extra-base hit.

            PSU came back with one run in the bottom of the first on a lead-off home run by junior Allie Luisi (North Kingstown, R.I.) and took the lead for good with five runs in the second inning.  Sophomore Jenn Bove (Medford, Mass.) drew a bases-loaded walk and junior Heather Blase (Milford, N.H.) brought home a run with a sacrifice fly.  Senior Kortney Nedeau (Kennebunk, Maine) followed with a two-run single to left, and freshman Sam Hebert (Mancheser, N.H./Memorial) capped the rally with an RBI single to left.

            Both teams plated three runs in the sixth inning to round out the scoring.  USM came from behind in the top half of the inning on a three-run, game-tying home run to left field by sophomore Erin Swarbrick (Windham, N.H.), but PSU answered with three of its own in the bottom half of the inning on a pair of home runs, a two-run shot by Blase and a solo job by freshman Jackie Digman (Burlington, Mass.)

            Freshman Amber White (Middleboro, Mass.) got the final four outs of the first game for PSU to record the victory.  White then started and went the distance to earn the win (9-6) in the nightcap, allowing just seven hits and a walk while striking out five.

            The Panthers pulled away to the win in the nightcap with solo runs in the second through fifth innings. Freshman Taylor Mancini (Gansevoort, N.Y.) delivered RBI singles in the second and fifth innings, surrounding run-scoring hits in the third and fourth innings by Blase and Bove. USM plated its only run n the fourth on an RBI single by freshman Samantha Morse (South China, Maine).

            PSU's next outing, a home doubleheader Thursday against Framingham State University, has been postponed so FSU can make up a conference game.  The Panthers return to the D&M Park diamond Saturday with a LEC twinbill against the University of Massachusetts Boston.  Southern Maine returns home to host Bates on Wednesday. 

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