April 14, 2009
Box Score
BOSTON, MA - Senior designated player Courtney Haroules (Littleton, MA) hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the University of Massachusetts Boston a 3-1 victory in the first game of a Little East Conference doubleheader today against visiting University of Southern Maine, but the Huskies rebounded to win game two, 10-1, at the Clark Athletic Center field on the campus of UMass Boston. The Beacons are now 9-15 overall and 1-5 in LEC play, while Southern Maine is 5-23 and 3-5.
Senior third baseman Lauren O'Connor (Everett, MA) led off the bottom of the ninth with a single down the right field line for UMass Boston in game one, before Haroules hit a line shot over the left center field fence for her team-leading third homer of the season.
Southern Maine got on the board first when freshman center fielder Lauren DiCecco (South Berwick, ME) led off the fifth inning with a bunt single down the third base line and was moved to second and then third on consecutive sacrifice bunts by freshman pitcher Alexandra Perdomo (Portland, ME) and freshman third baseman Laura Leger (Quincy, MA). Sophomore shortstop Heather Gilman (Fairfield, ME) broke the scoreless tie with a single down the left field line to give the Huskies a 1-0 edge. The Beacons answered in the sixth when O'Connor cracked a two-out single to right field and came all the way around to score when Haroules ripped a double down the left field line to knot the game at 1-1. Southern Maine threatened to score in the top of the ninth when DiCecco doubled into the right center gap to lead off the frame, but was thrown out on the relay trying to stretch the extra base hit into a triple. The Huskies were held in check for the remainder of the inning.
Freshman pitcher Kara Willis (Burrillville, RI) earned the complete game victory for UMass Boston, allowing one run on seven hits and two walks in nine innings, while striking out a batter. Perdomo (2-9) suffered the loss for Southern Maine, giving up three runs on six hits to go with four strikeouts in eight-plus innings. Haroules led the Beacons with two doubles a homer and three RBI, while O'Connor was 2-4 with a pair of runs scored. DiCecco and sophomore left fielder Sarah Cusack (Wells, ME) each had two hits for the Huskies.
Sophomore hurler Sarah Deroche (Portland, ME) (3-9) allowed just two hits, a walk and an unearned run, while fanning six to earn a seven-inning complete game victory in game two for Southern Maine.
Senior first baseman Anita Dixon (Limington, ME) worked a two-out walk, stole second scored on a single to right by freshman catcher Jessica Hayden (Madison, ME) to give the Huskies a 1-0 first inning edge. Southern Maine added three runs in the third when freshman second baseman Cerise Humphrey (Fryeburg, ME) opened the frame with a single, moved to second on a passed ball and scored on a Dixon single. Hayden followed with a mammoth blast to left field that cleared everything for a two-run homer and a 4-0 USM lead. The Huskies tacked on another run in the fourth when freshman designated player Heidi Swett (Turner, ME) drew a leadoff walk, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored when Cusack laced a single off the shin of the UMB pitcher for a 5-0 advantage. Southern Maine made it 6-0 with a Leger RBI ground out in the fifth, before UMass Boston got on the board in the bottom of the inning when freshman shortstop Ashley Faiella (Hyde Park, MA) reached on an error, went to second on a wild pitch, later went to third on a passed ball and scored on a passed ball to cut the deficit to 6-1, but it would be the only run of the second game for the host team.
The Huskies got RBI singles from Hayden, DiCecco and Swett in addition to a bases loaded walk issued to Cusack to give them a 10-1 lead in the seventh.
Willis (8-12) took the loss for the Beacons in game two, allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks in three and a third innings, before leaving with an injury. Hayden led Southern Maine with four hits, four RBI and two runs scored, while DiCecco knocked in a run and collected a pair of hits. O'Connor and sophomore first baseman Elisa LaRoche (Westford, MA) had the only hits for UMass Boston.
The Beacons will be in action again on Thursday, April 16 when they travel to Chestnut Hill, MA to take on Pine Manor College for a 3:30 twinbill, while the Huskies host Bowdoin College on April 15 at 3:30 p.m. for a doubleheader.
