Three Home Runs From Different Players Propel University of Albany Softball to 6-3 A-East Win Over Maine - UAlbany Sports

Albany, N.Y. - Nicole Kothe went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and was one of three Great Danes to go yard to in leading UAlbany to a 6-3 victory in America East Conference softball action on Monday, April 19 at Albany Field. Jessica Bergin and Gina Mason also homered for the Great Danes, who plated at least one run in the last five innings and ended the day in a tie for fourth place with Binghamton in the league standings.

Maine (18-21, AE 7-2), which fell into a first-place tie with Boston University by suffering only its second America East loss, took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Terren Hall homered over the scoreboard in left field. However, the Great Danes used the long ball to even up the score through three innings. Bergin launched her second home run of the season way over the fence in left in the second before Kothe crushed a homer to right center an inning later.

UAlbany, which ended a four-game skid with the victory, took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Bergin reached first on an error by the Black Bear shortstop and stole second to move into scoring position. Walraven hit a ball which was also misplayed at short, allowing Bergin to come home to give the Great Danes a one-run lead.

Maine, which entered the series finale riding a seven-game winning streak in conference play, tied up the score at 3-3 on a homer by Alexis Souhlaris in the top of the fifth, but UAlbany answered right back in the bottom of the frame and regained the lead by tallying two runs. Kothe doubled down the left field line to get things started. Two batters later, Mason lined a home run over the fence in dead center to put the hosts ahead for good. An RBI single by Kothe in the sixth inning, which was kick-started by Andrianna Walraven's double to right center, produced the final outcome.

UAlbany's Marissa Powell went the distance and picked up the victory to improve her record to 5-9 overall and 4-2 in America East play. She struck out three batters, issued one walk and allowed seven hits and three runs.

Maine's Ashley Kelley, who had only given up one earned run in four starts against league opposition, got the nod to start for the Black Bears. She surrendered two hits and two runs in three innings while striking out one. Beth Spoehr, who pitched two innings in relief, was tagged with the loss and fell to 2-7 after allowing four runs, including three earned, and four hits in two innings of work. Cayleigh Montano hurled the last frame for the Black Bears. She gave up one hit while striking out one and issuing one walk.

UAlbany (14-18, AE 6-6) returns to action on Wednesday, April 21 when it visits Dartmouth for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.

Paw Prints: UAlbany, which has come from behind to win five of its six America East Conference games, finished the afternoon tied for fourth with Binghamton in the league standings ... The Great Danes own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bearcats by taking two out of three games when the teams met on March 27-28 at Albany Field ... The six-member senior class consisting of Michelle Connors, Nicole Kothe, Leah McIntosh, Marissa Powell, Kat Smith and Bailey Van Deest played their last game at Albany Field ... The group helped the team register a 46-17 record at home over the last four years.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information