The Husson University softball team on senior day swept a pair of conference games against Johnston State on Sunday afternoon. Husson won game one 5-1, and won game two 12-5. The Eagles improved to 22-10 overall and 10-2 in the North Atlantic Conference, while the Badgers of Johnston State fall to 8-10 overall and 3-5 in NAC play.
Game 1: Johnston State: 1, Husson: 5
Husson's bats were silent for the first two innings, but Kayla Merrill would shutdown Johnson State in the top of the third, keeping it 0-0. The Eagles offense would come alive in the home half of the third inning as they would get on the scoreboard first when Casey Lopes singled through the right side scoring Lyndsay Merrill and Kayla Merrill, giving Lopes two RBI's and Husson the 2-0 lead after three innings of play.
The Eagles would add another run in fourth inning, when Chelsea Brennan would hit her second homerun of the season. This time a solo shot to left center field making it 3-0.
The Husson bats would stay hot going to the fifth as they would add to their lead when Deb Colpitts singled down the right field line scoring L. Merrill. Colpitts after reaching first base on the single would be pinched run for by Gabrielle Bryant. Bryant would come around to score when Sami Schultz doubled to right field making it 5-0 after five innings.
Johnson State would be held off the scoreboard until the top of the seventh inning when Kristy McDonnell would reach second base on a fielding error by center fielder Haley Spiers, on that error by Spiers, Casey Hogan came around to score making it 5-1.
K. Merrill went the distance for the Eagles, allowing no earned runs on three hits with no walks and three strikeouts over the seven innings picking up the win. K. Merrill moves to 11-4 on the season.
Andrea Williams for Johnson State falls to 7-5 with the loss. Williams pitched six innings, allowing five earned runs on nine hits with one walk and one strikeout.
L. Merrill would finish the game going 2-4 with a double and two runs scored. Brennan would finishes the game going 1-3 with a homerun.
Game 2: Johnson State: 5 Husson: 12
In game two, Husson would find themselves down early when Casey Hogan singled up the middle, scoring Jennie Moore making it 1-0 Johnson State.
The Husson offense would respond as they took the lead as they scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning, thanks to good hitting by Lyndsay Merrill when she doubled to left center, scoring her sister Kayla Merrill from first base. L. Merrill would not be on second for long as Sami Schultz singled through the left side of the infield scoring L. Merrill making it 2-0. The Eagles would add one more run in the inning when Haley Spiers doubled to left field, plating Sami Schultz giving Husson the 3-1 lead after one inning of play.
The Eagles would not have the lead for long as in the top of the second inning the Badgers would strike for three more runs do to good hitting from Alex Bean, when she singled up the middle scoring Andrea Williams and then again when Jennie Moore doubled to right field, scoring Bean and Amanda Coulombe giving the Badgers the 4-3 lead after two innings.
Johnson State would add to their lead in the third inning when Sarah Voorhis singled up the middle, bringing home Casey Hogan making the score 5-3.
In the fourth inning Husson would score five runs taking the lead 8-5 when Kayla Merrill scored on the error; Gabrielle Bryant, L. Merrill, Allie Hill and Schultz all scored on two singles and fielder's choice in the inning.
In the fifth inning Husson would add three more runs to their lead when Casey Health stole home and a two run homerun to center field by L. Merrill would give the Eagles the 11-5 lead. The Eagles would score one final time in the sixth inning when Nicole Andrade singled, scoring Chelsea Brennan giving Husson the 12-5 lead.
Deb Colpitts pitched the first three innings for Husson giving up five runs, three of them being earned runs on seven hits with no walks and no strikeouts. K. Merrill pitched in relief of Colpitts and went the final four innings, allowing no earned runs on four hits with no walks and no strikeouts. K. Merrill picked up the win and improves to 12-4 on the season.
Andrea Williams for Johnson State falls to 7-6 with the loss. Williams pitched six innings, allowing, twelve earned runs on fourteen hits with two walks and one strikeout.
Husson will play a doubleheader at Bowdoin on Tuesday April, 28th. Johnson returns to conference play on Tuesday against Castleton on Tuesday the 28th, at 3:00p.