PAXTON, MA
The Owls hit three home runs in a game one victory against Anna Maria College. UMPI returned to action for the first time in two weeks, splitting a competitive doubleheader with the Amcats that saw UMPI hit four home runs.
Game 1, 8-4 Owls:
The Owls rose a fast start all the way to the finish line in this game, scoring seven of their eight runs in the first three innings. The first two hitters for UMPI reached on a walk and an error, and then Gracelyn Walsh made the Amcats pay for the two freebies, depositing a ball over the fence for a big, three-run home run. Anna Maria struck back with four in the home half though, making it 4-3 after one. Unfortunately for the Amcats, that's all they would get the rest of the way.
UMPI answered back the very next frame with three more runs to take a 6-4 advantage. This time, their three runs came on three hits, including a Hailey Saylor RBI double and a Zoe Stewart two-run homer – her second bomb of the season. The first two innings proved that the Owls two and three hitters in their lineup, Stewart and Walsh, is turning into one of the toughest stretches of any lineup in the NAC.
After a run scored on a passed ball in the 3rd, UMPI passed the torch onto their starter, Hailey Saylor who pitched her way to the victory. She held the Amcats scoreless over their last six turns at bat. In the 6th for good measure, Zoe Stewart homered again – for her third big fly of the year, and her first ever multi-home run game. She is the first Owl to achieve that feat since Jordan Hansen ('22) did it on April 9th, 2022, at Northern Vermont-Johnson.
Top Performers:
Zoe Stewart went 2-3 with three runs batted in on her two home runs. Gracelyn Walsh went 1-4 on three RBI with that first inning homer. Hailey Saylor went 1-3 with an RBI double with that bat while she tossed all seven innings, allowing four earned runs on three strikeouts and six hits given up.
Game 2, 8-4 Amcats:
Game two started out much slower than game one did in the scoring department, with both pitchers throwing shutout innings through the first two full innings. The Owls did draw first blood again with a two-run top of the 3rd on a two-RBI single from Megan Buchholz.
In the top of the 4th, Gracelyn Walsh slugged her second home run of the day to tie the game at three, but it was short lived as the Amcats rallied back in the next half, plating three runs to take a 3-2 lead. Anna Maria got two more across in the 4th to take their first multi-run lead of the doubleheader, before they expanded it to an 8-3 lead with another three run inning in the 5th. The Owls added on one run in the 7th but it was not enough as they fell in game two by the reciprocal score of 8-4.
Top Performers:
Gracelyn Walsh stayed swinging a hot bat in this one, going 3-4 with a home run and a double en route to three more RBI. Megan Buchholz and Abby Doughty each had a pair of singles, with Buchholz earning two RBI, while Doughty earned one. Hailey Saylor and Keira Greene had the other hits for UMPI.
In the circle, it was  Madison Boynton who tossed six innings, allowing four earned runs while striking out seven batters.
Up Next:
UMPI will be right back at it in Massachusetts tomorrow as they take on the Fisher College Falcons for a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. Those games will be played at Pine Banks Park in Melrose, MA.
