DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Graduate student
Emily Antrim (Limerick, Maine) and freshman
Allie Cecere (Plainville, Mass.) combined to allow just two earned runs and junior
Avery Couch (Fort Worth, Texas) delivered a tie-breaking home run in game two as Plymouth State University split a Little East Conference (LEC) doubleheader with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth at UMD Softball Complex on Saturday.
PSU dropped the opener, 3-2, in eight innings, before rallying from a two-run deficit for a 5-3 victory in game two.
The Panthers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game one, but UMass Dartmouth scored runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie it, before securing the walk-off win with an unearned run in the eighth.
It was UMass Dartmouth getting out to a 2-0 lead in game two and the Corsairs still led 3-1 heading into the fifth inning. Plymouth State rallied for three runs in the frame, with Couch blasting a tie-breaking home run and the Panthers would add an insurance run in the sixth.
With the split, Plymouth State moves to 6-10 (1-1 LEC), while UMass Dartmouth goes to 10-4 (1-1 LEC).
The Basics:
- Game One: Plymouth State 2, UMass Dartmouth 3 (8 Inn.)
- Game Two: Plymouth State 5, UMass Dartmouth 3
- Plymouth State (6-10, 1-1 LEC)
- UMass Dartmouth (10-4, 1-1 LEC)
How it Happened (Game One):
- Senior Kenzie Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) singled, stole second and scored on a single by senior Emily Bessette (Cranston, R.I.), and E. Bessette came around on a single by senior Abbey Nezuch (Marlborough, Mass.) as the Panthers took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
- Antrim stranded a runner at third in the bottom of the second.
- The Corsairs cut the deficit to 2-1 with a two-out hit in the fifth, then tied it with an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth.
- K. Bessette threw a runner out at second and Antrim induced a flyout to send the game to extra innings.
- Couch and Nezuch had back-to-back two-out singles in the eighth but were stranded.
- UMass Dartmouth plated an unearned run in the bottom of the inning for the walk-off win.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- K. Bessette went 1-for-3 with a run scored.
- Couch and Nezuch had two hits apiece. Nezuch drove in a run.
- Antrim allowed one earned run in 7.1 innings but suffered the loss.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- UMass Dartmouth scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first to grab an early 2-0 lead.
- The Corsairs committed three errors in the fourth as PSU loaded the bases and freshman Marisa Lizotte (North Andover, Mass.) cut the margin to 2-1 with a fielder's choice.
- UMD answered with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-1.
- Sophomore Eva Zuber (Lakeville, Mass.) doubled to start the fifth as the Panthers rallied into the lead. E. Bessette singled in a run and K. Bessette scored on a double steal to tie the game at 3-3. Couch followed with a solo homer to put PSU in front.
- Two more UMass Dartmouth errors in the sixth helped PSU extend the lead to 5-3 and the Corsairs were unable to rally.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- Couch went 2-for-4 with a home run.
- K. Bessette singled to extend her hitting streak to 13 games.
- Cecere allowed just one earned run in the complete game victory.
- PSU leads the all-time series, 40-33.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State heads to Bridgewater State for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday (Mar. 31).
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