Game 1 Statistics
Game 2 Statistics
PLYMOUTH, N.H. --
Mo Kinsella stranded two runners in scoring position by fanning three batters in-a-row in the bottom of the 8th inning to secure a 5-4 victory for the University of New England against Plymouth State University in the nightcap of a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday (May 1) at D&M Park. The Panthers narrowly held on for a 1-0 result in the opener.
The Nor'easters move to 12-26 on the year, heading into the regular season finale at Husson University on Saturday -- the last tune-up before the CCC tournament that begins on Tuesday at Suffolk University. Plymouth State now sits at 15-21 overall.
Elise Connor was the lone UNE player with hits in both contests. Keelie Wells had four on the day for the hosts.
Game 2 (UNE 5-4) was knotted at 3-all from the 3rd inning all the way into the final frame of regulation, when the Nor'easters recorded the only two extra-base hits of the entire afternoon for either squad. While the first double -- off the bat of
Emma Michaud -- ended in an out trying to stretch it to third base, the visitors received a two-out single from
Delaney Whitten before Connor doubled into the left-center gap to plate the go-ahead run (4-3) in the 7th.
However, with two outs and a runner at third in PSU's last chance, Mackenzie Bessette reached on a pinch-hit, slow-rolling infield single to tie the score. Bessette was left at second base when Kinsella notched her second strikeout of the game to force extras.
A two-out error on a ground ball by
Becca Dumont knocked in the UNE run in the 8th. The Panthers, with the placed runner on second, received a lead-off bunt single and steal from Emily Bessette to really put the pressure on Kinsella, but the first-year hurler froze two of the next three hitters looking at strike three to seal it. Kinsella worked six innings of relief to get her sixth win.
The Nor'easters had put their first runs of the day on the board in the top of the 1st. A walk by
Hannah Irons, single from Michaud, and a wild pitch set up
Grace Tutt for an RBI-groundout, shortly before Connor did the same to drive in Michaud and make it 2-0.
Plymouth State bounced right back, though, as a two-out walk by Wells with the bases loaded netted one run, and then Kennedy Michaud singled to tie things at 2-2. A two-out RBI-single by Kiera Larson in the 2nd nudged the hosts in front, 3-2, only to see
Jaiden McKenna beat out an infield single with two away in the UNE 3rd to plate Whitten and level the score.
Kinsella also survived runners at second and third with one down in the PSU 4th to keep things even.
Joining Michaud with two hits for the visitors were Whitten, McKenna, and
Abby Walsh. Wells and Emily Bessette had two hits each for the Panthers.
Plymouth State touched home plate with the only run of
GAME 1 (PSU 1-0) in the last half of the 1st inning, on a two-out RBI-single from Avery Couch.
The Nor'easters out-hit the hosts, 7-4, the rest of the way, and had at least one base runner during every at-bat. UNE couldn't cash in on a two-on, one-away spot in the 3rd, or with a pair of two-out baserunners in the 4th. Lead-off singles in the 5th and 6th were unable to advance, but a one-out single by Dumont in the 7th was aided by a two-base error and gave the visitors hope for a rally. However, a shallow flyout to right wasn't enough to help, and a flyout to center ended it.
Alyssa Wilson struck out six in the complete-game shutout for the Panthers. Her counterpart for UNE,
Kara MacDonald, fanned five while scattering five singles and three walks in the tough setback. MacDonald did manage to retire former classmate and PSU's hitting leader, Mackenzie Bessette, all three times they squared off (2 strikeouts). Bessette, who entered the game batting .449, had been in a Nor'easter uniform last season and went a team-high 7-for-10 at the dish in three postseason matches.
For the first time since April 1, UNE caught a runner stealing to get out of what had been a two-on, one-out situation in the home half of the 4th -- catcher
Emma Koenig to Irons covering third base. In the 6th, Plymouth State got two into scoring position after Wells recorded her second hit and stole second base, but a tidy groundout to Irons at shortstop negated the threat.
Dumont topped all players with a 3-for-3 outing at the plate, marking the 14th multi-hit performance of the year for the senior, who is guiding the Nor'easters with a .346 average. Tutt added a pair of hits.
