Castine, ME –The Maine Maritime Lady Mariners improved to 17-1 on the season and 8-0 in the NAC with a sweep of a double header against Castleton State College 6-4 and 8-3 Saturday at Ritchie Field. The Lady Mariners hit three home runs and gave up only two earned runs on the afternoon to stay undefeated in conference.
GAME ONE: In the first game, Leah Jackson (Dedham, ME) hit a three run home run to center field in the bottom of the 8th inning to give the Lady Mariners an exciting 6-3 victory over the Spartans.
The Lady Mariners (16-1, 7-0 NAC) got the scoring started in the first inning, scoring a run on a sacrifice fly by Mallery Stanley (Standish, ME). Megan Russell (Peru, ME) got the inning started with a base hit to center field and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Leah Jackson (Dedham, ME). Russell moved to third on a passed ball and scored on the fly ball to left by Stanley.
Both teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the 6th inning when Megan Russell led off the inning with a double to left field. Russell advanced to third on a throwing error by the Castleton pitcher and was knocked in again by a fly ball to left field by Mallery Stanley giving MMA the 2-0 advantage.
Castleton (11-13, 4-3 NAC) began their comeback in the top of the seventh when Shannon Jipner (Bristol, VT) started the inning with a base hit to right field. Rachael Dube (Newbury, VT) ran for Jipner and advanced to second after a base hit by Sarah Flore (Springfield, VT). With one out Stephanie Wright (Guilfod, VT) loaded the bases with another base hit to right field. Bridget Dusha (Greenwich, NY) got the Spartans on the board with a single to right field bringing the score to 2-1. With the bases still loaded, Mercedes Maltbie (Warrensburg, NY) hit a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Flore from third base. MMA pitcher, McKenzie Burke, got the last out but the damage had been done and the Spartans evened the score at 2-2.
In the top of the 8th Kealy Chipman (Bellows Falls, NY) began the inning at second base and scored on a Hilary Bemis ground ball to second base to give the Spartans the 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the inning the Lady Mariners answered with four runs including the Jackson three run blast to center field. Pinch runner Sam Rheaume (Andover, NH) started the inning at second base and advanced the third on a bunt single by Sabrina Keach (Chesterville, ME). With runners on the corners, Casey McCloskey (Howland, ME) struck out before Megan Russell added on to her already stellar day with another base hit to left field driving in the tying run. Leah Jackson stepped to the plate and hit a 2-1 pitch to center, scoring Keach and Russell to win the game.
Mallery Stanley (Standish, ME) picked up two RBI's while Megan Russell (Peru, ME) went 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Megan Russell was outstanding in center field making two outstanding catches to keep the Spartans from developing big innings. McKenzie Burke (Wells, ME) threw a complete game, going eight innings while giving up five hits and one walk. Burke struck out seven batters en route to her eighth win of the season.
Sarah Flore led the Spartans with two hits while Dusha, Maltbie, and Bemis each had one RBI apiece. Hilary Bemis (Crown Point, NY) pitched eight innings for the visitors giving up eight hits and four earned runs to go along with six strikeouts.
GAME TWO: In the second game, freshman pitcher Casey McCloskey (Howland, ME) threw a one hitter while striking out six, and improved to 2-0 on the year. Freshman Sabrina Keach (Chesterville, ME) carried the offense, going 3-for-3 with three runs, two RBI's, and a home run.
The Lady Mariners (17-1, 8-0 NAC) scored first in the second inning taking a 1-0 lead on a Hannah Seamans (Athens, ME) single to right center driving in Brittany Hunt (Hickory, NC).
Leah Jackson gave the Lady Mariners a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning on her second home run of the day, blasting a shot deep over the left field fence.
Castleton (12-15, 4-4 NAC) answered for two unearned runs in the top of the fourth when Rachel Dube hit a fly ball to left with Megan Blongy (Salt Lake City, UT) and Sarah Flore on second and third. The ball was dropped by the MMA left fielder scoring both runners and tying the score at 2-2.
MMA quickly answered in the bottom of the fourth when Nicole Poland (Damariscotta, ME) hit MMA's second solo home run of the game. The home run was Poland's second of the season, giving MMA a 3-2 advantage. The Lady Mariners added their fourth run on an RBI single to center scoring McKenzie Burke while advancing Seaman's to third base with only one out. Megan Russell followed up with a bunt single to load the bases with Leah Jackson coming to the plate. Jackson took a five-pitch walk and collected the RBI while giving MMA the 5-2 lead. Mallery Stanley then followed a ground rule double to left. The Stanley double drove in two runs and propelled MMA to a 7-2 lead. Kayla Higgins (Sullivan, ME) drove in Jackson with a ground out to second base and after being tied 2-2, the Lady Mariners erupted for six runs in the inning to take an 8-2 lead.
Castleton continued to battle loading the bases in the top of the sixth inning with nobody out and Bridget Dusha stepping to the plate. Casey McCloskey got Dusha to pop out to second base and then struck out Stephanie Wright before Mercedes Maltbie walked, inching the Spartans closer at 8-3. McCloskey proceeded to strike out Hannah Greene to end the Spartan threat and protect the five run lead and eventual victory.
Megan Russell led the Lady Mariners with two hits while Leah Jackson collected a hit, two runs and two RBI's. Casey McCloskey improved to 9-0 on the season, giving up just five hits over seven innings and just one earned run. McCloskey struck out nine Spartan batters.
Megan Blongy led the Spartans with two hits while Sarah Flore led the team with two runs scored. Emily Sweeney (Weare, NH) took the loss for Castleton, pitching five innings, giving up eight hits and eight runs.
Courtesy of: Maine Maritime Sports Information
