WATERVILLE, Maine - Johnson State College defeated host Thomas College 5-1 in their North Atlantic Conference (NAC) opener on Friday night and then experienced a 4-4 tie in the nightcap in a game shortened by darkness. Johnson improves to 7-12-1 on the season, 1-0-1 NAC while Thomas slides to 5-16-1, 2-3-1 NAC.
GAME 1: Johnson 5, Thomas 1
In the opener of the doubleheader junior Meagan Russ (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) (pictured) had one of the top pitching performances of her career going the distance, scattering seven hits, allowing one earned run, and striking out six to lead Johnson to a 5-1 win.
Sophomore Maria Gleason (Enosburg Falls, Vt./Enosburg) had the big hit for Johnson going 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and scoring twice in the game. Junior Tanya Randall (Fryeburg, Maine/Fryeburg) went 3-for-3 and sophomore Erica Pustari (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) went 2-for-4 with two runs and RBI. Senior Morgan Rogerson (Hardwick, Vt./Hazen) went 1-for-3 with an RBI triple.
Gleason connected on her two-run shot in top of third inning to break a scoreless tie and put the Badgers up 2-0.
With Russ keeping zero's on the Thomas scoreboard, Johnson would tack on a third run in top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by freshman catcher Amanda McLean (Woodhaven, N.Y./HS for Environmental Science).
An RBI single by Pustari and then the Rogerson triple would in the top of the seventh would make it 5-0 Johnson giving the Badgers a bit more breathing room and needing just three outs for the win.
Though Thomas would score on an two-out infield hit in the bottom of the seventh to break up the shutout Russ would get a fly ball out to center to end the game and to finish the Badger win.
Game 2: Johnson 4, Thomas 4 (5 Innings)
In game two the teams would end the contest after five innings at 4-4 with darkness making the conclusion of the game not possible.
Pustari, Randall, and Rogerson all had strong games again at the plate for Johnson with Pustari going 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI while Randall went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Rogerson went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
Freshman Kristy McDonnell (Quechee, Vt./Hartford) was the starting pitcher for JSC going 3 2/3, allowing four earned runs, striking out one and walking six. Russ relieved McDonnell and pitched 1 1/3 innings and striking out two before the game was called a tie.
Johnson jumped ahead 2-0 after the top of the first inning with Pustari and Rogerson each coming through with RBI singles in the frame.
Thomas would strike for four runs in the fourth inning with the big hit coming from Kelsey Crowe in the form of a two-out, bases-loaded double that cleared the bases making the score 4-2 Terriers.
The Badgers and Randall would respond with a huge two-out, two-run single in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 4-4.
Russ would allow a lead-off single but would follow that up with a fielder's choice inducing groundball, a strikeout, and another groundout to end any threat. That was also the point the umpiring crew felt the game should end due to darkness and thus the result of a tie for both teams.
Johnson returns to play on Saturday with a doubleheader at the University of Maine-Farmington while Thomas host New England College on Saturday.