BANGOR, ME
The UMPI Owls Softball team saw its season come to a heartbreaking end on Friday afternoon down at Husson. The Owls took on 5th seeded SUNY Delhi in the first round of the loser's bracket. They saw an early lead dissipate into a four-run deficit before falling just short on a comeback bid of their own. The Owls finish their season at 16-20, the most wins they've captured since 2019.
How it Happened:
UMPI got on the board in the top of the 2nd inning after a scoreless 1st. The Owls played great small ball again with an Avery VonKadich sacrifice fly. They blanked the Broncos in the 2nd as well, and then took a 3-0 lead when Gracelyn Walsh delivered her second home run of the tournament- and 9th of the year with a two-run shot to centerfield.
Delhi got two back the following half-inning however, and then two more in the 4th to take a 4-3 lead. UMPI's offense went quiet, and Delhi came through with their biggest inning of the day with three more runs in the bottom of the 5th, making it 7-3.
The Owls did not quit however, fighting to the very end. They scored on an error in the 6th, but left two runners in scoring position and had to settle for a 7-4 deficit. In the top of the 7th with the Owls down to their final three outs, Zoe Stewart led off with a double, followed by Gracelyn Walsh doing the exact same thing to bring Stewart in. A Megan Buchholz sac fly two batters later made it 7-6, but the bases were empty with two outs. Abby Doughty singled to start things up again, but Delhi was able to salvage the third out – and the game, on the very next batter, winning 7-6.
Top Performers:
Gracelyn Walsh and Zoe Stewart simply could not be contained. Stewart went 3-4 with a double and two runs scored, while Gracelyn Walsh went 2-3 with three RBI, a double and a two-run homer. Her historic season was second to none in this conference, as both she and Stewart wrapped up amazing careers for UMPI. Abby Doughty went 2-3 with two runs scored and Megan Buchholz went 1-3 with an RBI.
Next Up:
The Owls finish what was an unbelievable season at 16-20. They picked up the most wins as a program since the 16 UMPI had in 2019. The Owls also improved dramatically on a two-win season a year ago, and got back to the playoffs for the first time since 2023, picking up their first postseason victory since that 2019 year as well. UMPI will graduate four seniors, all of whom had stellar careers. Gracelyn Walsh stands alone atop every offensive category in the conference and awaits the NAC Player of the Year voting results. Zoe Stewart – Walsh's true counterpart over the last four years, finished with a great year, batting .409 with eight home runs. Hailey Saylor, a textbook leadoff hitter and defensive shortstop finished batting .304, while Megan Buchholz, also a great defender at second base batted .308 for the offensive juggernaut that was the 2026 UMPI Owls.
