Owl teams play in Vermont
UMPI softball team stays perfect in league
Strong pitching, defense and offense were all on display over the weekend for the University of Maine at Presque Isle softball team in its four-game sweep over Vermont Technical College in Sunrise Conference play.
The Owls improved to 8-0 in league play after besting Vermont Tech on Saturday by scores of 13-0 and 19-1 and following that up with 12-0 and 17-4 victories Sunday in White River Junction, Vt.
Game one was highlighted by a five-inning no-hitter by freshman pitcher Krista Coffin of Presque Isle. She struck out five and walked only one batter in the contest. Offensively, Kathleen Higgins smacked two home runs and Lainey Herring of Houlton also homered to lead the way.
In Saturday’s second game, Coffin again started and went the first three innings before giving way to Ashley Pennartz, who went the final two. UMPI committed just one error in the contest.
Brittany Humphrey went 4 for 5 and drove in three runs, while Danielle Humphrey also had four hits and six RBIS. Pennartz also had six RBIs and Coffin, Jennifer Ouellette of Van Buren and Megan Korhonen of Littleton both had two hits.
UMPI blanked Vermont Tech in Sunday’s opener as Coffin struck out seven batters in a five-inning one-hitter. On offense, the Humphreys again led the way, with Danielle ripping a first-inning homer to key an eight-run rally. Carolynn Tuck also homered.
The final game of the series saw Korhonen go 3 for 5, including an RBI triple. The Humphreys combined for four hits and Jasmine Cote of Limestone, a freshman, tripled and singled and had two RBIs.
Pennartz picked up her first collegiate pitching win, with Korhonen coming on in relief in the fifth.
UMPI, now 12-9 overall on the season, takes on Husson University in a non-conference doubleheader Thursday beginning at 3 p.m. in Bangor.
Baseball team goes 3-3 during busy weekend
The Owl baseball team defeated Vermont Tech twice on Saturday, but the hosts turned around and swept UMPI Sunday.
Coach Leo Saucier’s team now has a record of 6-21, including a 2-6 league mark.
UMPI won both games Saturday by scores of 10-5 and 15-8. In the opener, Carlos Villoria ripped four hits and had two RBIs while scoring two runs. Justin Bergeron added three hits for the winners and scored three times. The Owls collected 16 hits in the contest.
Jake Fillebrown was the winning pitcher, striking out seven batters over five innings. Evan Kingsbury came on to close the game out in the sixth.
In the second game of the doubleheader, UMPI jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first and then plated six runs in the third to put the game away.
Villoria had another strong performance by going 2 for 3 with two doubles and two runs scored. Andrew Carter singled twice, scored three runs and had three RBIs.
Andy Brown earned the win on the mound in relief by striking out five, walking two and allowing one earned run in the 3-1/3 innings. Corey Harding started the game for the Owls, while Ryan Thompson pitched the seventh.
Sunday proved to be a different story as the Green Knights won by scores of 12-6 and 6-1.
Game one saw Dylan Worster get tagged with the pitching loss, with Kingsbury, Stephen Thorne and Thompson also seeing action in relief. Seth Cote singled and doubled and had two RBIs to pace the Owls at the plate.
In the final game of the weekend, the Owls held a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth before Vermont Tech battled back by scoring three times in both the fifth and sixth innings and keeping UMPI’s offense silent.
Carter suffered the tough-luck loss, going all seven innings and striking out nine while not surrendering a base on balls. for his Owl team from the mound in a complete game pitched. Carter struck out nine batters, while walking none in a solid performance.
Ted Walker of Caribou had an RBI single for the Owls. Brian Andrews of Fort Fairfield and Shane Smith both singled in the loss.
In Waterville Friday, UMPI split non-league games against UM-Farmington. Following a 6-2 loss in game one, the Owls rebounded for a 12-6 victory in the nightcap.
In the win, UMPI scored eight times in the final two innings for the come-from-behind triumph. Villoria had three hits, including a two-run single in the sixth. Walker doubled and Matt Nadeau added two hits for the winners. Anthony Batchelder notched the pitching win by going all seven innings and walking just one.
Smith hit a two-run single in the game-one loss for UMPI’s lone RBIs of the contest. Jordan Perry took the pitching loss.
UMPI takes on Colby-Sawyer College in a non-conference game Thursday in New London, N.H. beginning at 3 p.m.
