PRESQUE ISLE, ME
The UMPI Owls softball team finished their season on Sunday afternoon as they hosted Thomas College for two more games, these ones to be non-conference matchups. Between games, Emma McNally and Sierra Bryant were honored for their contributions to the program over the years.
Game 1: (9-0 Terriers)
How it Happened:
This game showed a lot of promise for the Owls early as they prevented Thomas from doing a lot of damage through the first two innings as Thomas led 1-0. But unfortunately for the Owls, then came the 3rd. The Terriers got base runners thanks to some walks and hit by pitches and then pounced when UMPI was in a jam. In the end the Terriers scored eight runs in the nightmare inning, on just two hits as they now led 9-0.
Emma McNally gave UMPI their first hit of the game the next half inning with a double, but the Owls couldn't move her around. Two singles in the 4th prompted Sabrina Kauffman to third base but she'd be stranded there. The Owls got another baserunner in the 5th to try and avoid a run-rule but couldn't capitalize, as Thomas won the game 9-0 in five innings.
At the Plate:
UMPI matched Thomas as a team in hits in this game with four. Four different batters got in on the action as Emma McNally, Sabrina Kauffman, Megan Bucholz all went 1-2 while Caileyann Cotta went 1-1 in her pinch-hit at bat in the 5th. McNally had the only extra base hit, a double in the 3rd.
In the Circle:
Zoe Stewart started the game for UMPI but ran into trouble in the third inning. She was on the hook for six earned runs but didn't allow a hit and struck out two batters. Megan Bucholz came on in relief and threw well, throwing 3.0 innings, allowing four hits and just one earned urn in the 14 batters she faced. She was efficient, only throwing 31 pitches.
Game 2: (13-4 Terriers)
How it Happened:
Things started off slowly in the season finale as both teams went down in order through the 1st inning. Thomas pounced in the 2nd, however, with a couple reached-on-errors, followed by a single and a double made it 3-0. An RBI groundout got the Terriers to a 4-0 lead. Things stayed scoreless as both pitchers found a groove until the 4th inning when the Terriers added two more runs on two hits to lead 6-0.
The Owls entered the bottom of the 4th and quickly found the scoreboard as Abby Doughty walked, followed by Zoe Stewart launching her third home run of the season and second in as many days to make it 6-2 Thomas. UMPI blanked Thomas in the 5th and had McNally in scoring position but couldn't bring her around to shrink the lead. The Terriers added another run in the 6th, and then the floodgates opened with six runs on eight hits in the top of the 7th inning capped off by a three-run home run from Kayla Duhaime.
The Owls weren't done however, as they'd rally in what was the final inning of their season. Michaela Carney led off with a single, and a hit by pitch put two and none out. Later in the inning, Zoe Stewart cashed in again, with an RBI double to make it 13-4, but that's how the game and season would end for the Owls. Unfortunately, like the first game of the day for UMPI, it was one bad inning that doomed the Owls.
At the Plate:
The Owls had seven hits as a team, led by Zoe Stewart with her two big hits and all three of UMPI's RBI. She homered and double, going 2-4 with a run scored. Emma McNally and Gracelyn Walsh both went 1-4 with a double, while Michaela Carney, Sierra Bryant and Caileyann Cotta all had singles.
In the Circle:
Megan Bucholz started the final game of the year for UMPI and threw all seven innings. She finished allowing 11 earned runs and had two strikeouts on 126 pitches thrown.
Season Wrap-Up:
The Owls finish their rebuilding year at 2-24 (1-7 in conference) and will graduate Emma McNally and Sierra Bryant. They will bring back a good core of juniors and underclassmen into next year in hopes of rebuilding the program back to its winning ways.
