The University of Maine at Presque Isle softball team opened its season at the 2011 Fast Pitch Dreams Spring Classic in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. March 5. The Lady Owls dropped both games of a double-header, 5-0 and 12-0, to the Spartans of York College in Pennsylvania.
In the first game of the day, UMPI was led by sophomore Lainey Herring, who finished 2 for 3 at the plate and had the only hits for the Owls. Freshman Krista Coffin took the loss on the mound, allowing five runs on six hits, striking out two and walking two.
The Lady Owls battled to a 12-0 loss in the second game of the doubleheader. UMPI was paced offensively by junior Desiree Smith and sophomore Kellie Peers, who each provided a single. Coffin took the pitching loss, allowing 10 runs on 12 hits, while striking out one and walking three batters.
“We played a solid first game against a very competitive and talented team,” commented UMPI coach Terry Cummings. “The second game got away from us, but I am confident once we get our bats going, we will win some games down here.”
The Owls have been practicing in Wieden Gymnasium on the UMPI campus since January, but this was their first time on an outside diamond.
UMPI registered an 11-1 victory over Wentworth Institute of Technology of Boston March 6. Behind Coffin, who struck out nine and gave up just two hits in her five innings of work, the Owls cruised by scoring six times in the third inning and adding four more runs in the sixth.
Juniors Cassie Green and Kathleen Higgins had two hits each, with Green scoring two runs and Higgins driving in a pair. Peers added an RBI double.
UMPI had two other games scheduled later that day rained out.
On March 7, UMPI notched another win over Wentworth, this one by a 7-4 score. Emily Moore handled the pitching duties and tossed a complete-game four-hitter. Smith’s two hits led UMPI’s offense.
The Owls take on Maine Maritime Academy in a doubleheader at the U-Maine’s dome March 19 beginning at 11 a.m.
