THE BASICS 

Score: 
Lesley University, 7 vs. UMaine Presque-Isle, 4 (8 inn.)
Lesley University, 11 vs. UMaine Presque-Isle, 0 (6 inn.)

Records: 
Lesley Lynx (5-20, 2-6 NAC)
UMPI Owls (4-16, 4-4 NAC)

Location: Orono, Maine. – UMaine @ Orono

Date: Sunday, April 21, 2024

THE LEAD – Lesley University picked up a North Atlantic Conference (NAC) sweep over the University of Maine Presque-Isle Sunday afternoon in NCAA Division III softball action. The Lynx rallied late and won Game 1 in extra innings, 7-4, before dominating Game 2 with an 11-0 victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GM 1)

• Trailing 3-2 heading into the seventh, Lesley forced extras with a run to even the score at 3-3. Mia Santilli worked a leadoff walk and moved over into scoring position on a groundout. Back-to-back errors by the Owls allowed Santilli to move to third and then score to keep the action going.
• Following a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh behind a strong frame by Samantha Mecklenburg, the Lynx used that momentum in the top of the eighth inning, scoring four runs to take their first lead of the afternoon.
• With the ghost runner on second to open extras, Lauren Martin and Santilli worked walks to load the bases for Madison Herbert. Herbert delivered a two-RBI single to center to give Lesley the 5-3 lead before Isabella Moscoso followed suite with a two-RBI single to right to increase the lead to 7-3.
• Herbert came on to close the game in the circle, finishing off UMPI with a hitless eighth inning despite allowing an unearned run to account for the 7-4 final.
• The Owls opened the game with a three-run first on four hits but after that Mecklenburg settled into a pitching groove and did not allow a run the rest of her appearance.
• Kari Sorensen put LU on the board in the third, making it a 3-2 game with a two-RBI double to set the stage for the late inning comeback for Lesley.   

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (GM 1)

• Mecklenburg earned the win working 7.0 innings and striking out eight for her second pitching victory of 2024.
• Moscoso posted a 3-for-5 day at the plate with two RBI and a run scored while Sorensen added a 2-for-3 showing with a walk and two RBI.
• Kiersten Shade and Gravelyn Walsh collected two hits each for the Owls.
• Megan Buchholz suffered the setback going the distance for UMPI and surrendering the seven runs (five earned) on six hits, striking out two.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GM 2)

• Emma Hodgkins fired a complete-game two-hit shutout to lift the Lynx to the NAC sweep.
• Lesley pushed three runs across in the first to set the tone and opened things up with a three-run third to move the lead to 6-0. Big plays included a two-RBI single in the first by MJ Jones as well as back-to-back RBI doubles from Leah St. John and Martin in the third.
• A run in the fifth made it 7-0 before a four-run sixth put the game out of reach at 11-0, the final. Jones added another two-RBI double in the final inning of the game to cap a stellar performance.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (GM 2)

• Hodgkins scattered two hits over 6.0 innings of work for her second complete-game shutout of the year, striking out one to grab her third win of the season.
• Jones posted a 2-for-3 game with four RBI.
• St. John added a 1-for-2 day with three runs scored, three RBI and two walks.
• Sorensen and Martin also scored three runs each in the win.
• Dalaney Anfinson and Emma McNally collected the lone hits for the Owls in the setback.

UP NEXT

• Lesley is idle until Thursday, April 25 when they're set to hit the road for a non-conference tilt vs. Framingham State at 5:00 PM.
• UMPI is back on the diamond on Saturday, April 27 when they take on UMaine Farmington in more NAC action.