PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The University of Maine at Presque Isle softball team made it all the way to the American Collegiate Athletic Association tournament championship game before falling to No. 1-ranked Finlandia University of Hancock, Michigan, by a score of 5-2.
The tourney was held Saturday and Sunday in Canton, N.Y.
UMPI (25-11) went in as the second seed and lost its opening game to the hosts, SUNY-Canton, 7-5. Jordi Legassie had a run-scoring double and Sara Packard, Melissa Reagle and Nicole Marucci added RBI singles for the Owls, while Melanee Terry drove in the other run with a sacrifice fly.
Jaedyn Ossont ripped a two-run homer for the Roos and teammate Valerie Clark contributed two doubles and two RBIs.
Dropping down to the loser’s bracket, UMPI blanked SUNY-Delhi in another Saturday matchup, 4-0. Packard spun a five-hitter and struck out four batters in the complete-game shutout.
Alexis Allcock and Terry both had RBI singles in the victory. Legassie chipped in with a run and an RBI.
On Sunday, UMPI avenged the loss to SUNY-Canton by coming out on top, 10-4. Packard was especially sharp over the first five innings as she held the Roos without a run during that stretch. The Owls scored unearned runs in both the second and third innings and then added to their lead on a double by Emily Page and a two-run single off the bat of Legassie.
SUNY-Canton broke through in the sixth inning, with Ossont’s two-run single the key hit, but Packard ripped a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning to put the game away.
Packard went the distance in the pitching circle and surrendered nine hits and struck out three.
In the game against Finlandia, Roni Shaw plated pinch runner Hailey Davenport on an RBI single to put UMPI on the board early, but Emily Nguyen’s bases-loaded triple in the fifth inning was the difference as Finlandia came through with the three-run victory.
Four Owls made the all-tournament team — Packard, Jackie Peers, Allcock and Terry.
