Game One: UAlbany 2, Maine 1
Game Two: UAlbany 11, Maine 7 (12 innings)
Records: UAlbany (21-11, 8-1 AE) | Maine (10-25, 2-9 AE)
Location: Orono, Maine
Short Story: The University at Albany softball team jumped back into America East action with a doubleheader sweep at Maine on Friday afternoon to improve to 9-1 in conference play.
After edging the Black Bears, 2-1, in game one, the Great Danes offense exploded for an 11-7 extra inning victory.
Highlights:
- Celeste Verdolivo (14-3) matched a season high in strike outs with seven in game one.
- Chloe Lewis (3-3) recorded the win in game two, striking out two in 6.0 innings of work.
- Sarah Petzold (.444) and Katie Falotico (.444) paced the squad with two RBI.
- Love Drumgole (.333) finished the day with one hit, an RBI and three walks.
- Mariah Miramontez, Drumgole and Alexis Phillips each picked up a stolen base.
- The Great Danes are now 10-1 on the road.
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Game One:
In a game one pitcher's duel, which saw 11 combined strikeouts from Celeste Verdolivo and Emily Reid, the Great Danes got just enough offense to secure a 2-1 win against Maine.
Mariah Miramontez gave her team an early 1-0 lead after scoring on a Maine throwing error in the first inning. Miramontez reached first by way of walk before stealing second and eventually scoring on an error by a ball put in play by Aliyah Wade.
Drumgole added to the score with an RBI single in the fifth to score Amelia Ely. Maine retaliated in the home half of the inning thanks to a solo shot by Maddie Decker.
Ahead by one with Maine approaching its final three outs, Verdolivo dug deep and kept the Black Bears off the scoreboard as the senior earned her 14th win of the season.
Game Two:
After the Great Danes scored four runs in extra innings, Chloe Lewis pitched a scoreless 12th inning as UAlbany took down Maine, 11-7, in an extra-inning show down.
Lewis, who earned her third win of the season, Verdolivo and Taylor Lights combined to go the distance for the visitors in the circle.
Petzold, Miramontez and Chelsea Henige each plated a run as the Great Danes jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
Maine cut the difference to one thanks to a solo shot by Kya Enos and an RBI single by Keely Clark before Meghan Royle's homerun in the fourth locked the game at 3-3.
The Black Bears took their first lead of the game, 4-3, in the fifth after a double plated Grace McGouldrick.
Maranda Jimenez was called upon to pinch hit with two outs in the top of the seventh. The pinch hitter did her job and plated the game tying run from first base.
In extra innings, the Great Danes manufactured a run in the top of the eighth but the Black Bears answered with a run of their own to keep the game going.
With a runner standing on first base, Alexis Phillips laid down a sacrifice bunt. The Black Bears' committed an error allowing Sarah Petzold to score from first base. Phillips reached third on the error. The Great Danes added another for insurance with a triple down the right field line.
Looking up at a two-run deficit, Maine did not blink. Derrick and Royle combined for two RBI in the bottom of the ninth inning. After nine complete, the score was tied at seven.
Albany finally grabbed the lead for good when they tallied four runs in the top of 12th. With an 11-7 lead, the Great Danes held off Maine for their second win of the afternoon.
Up Next: Due to weather, Saturday's series finale has been canceled. The Great Danes return to action with a midweek game against Binghamton on Wednesday, April 24.
