(Photo Credit: Brian Jenkins)
GAME ONE: Maine 4, Vermont 1 | Box Score
GAME TWO: Vermont 8, Maine 4 | Box Score
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BURLINGTON, Vt. – Freshman Kellin Haley (Oceanside, Calif.) went 2-for-4 with four runs batted in the second game of a doubleheader to help the University of Vermont softball team earn a split at home against Maine on Saturday afternoon. The Black Bears won the opener, 4-1, while the Catamounts bounced back to take the second game, 8-4.

Maine struck first in the second game with a two-run first inning. With two outs and runners on second and third, Kristen Calvetti singled to centerfield to give the Black Bears a 2-0 advantage.

The Catamounts would score a run in their half of the first to cut it to 2-1. With sophomore Caroline Goddard (Oakland, Calif.) on second, Haley knocked her in with a single to right-center.

The visitors added single runs in both the third and fourth innings, as they led 4-1. Ashley Waters singled in Brynne Davis in the third and Courtney Gingrich took the first pitch of the fourth inning and lined a home run over the fence in left.

The Catamounts responded with a six-run fourth inning to take their first lead of the afternoon at 7-4. Vermont sent 10 hitters to the plate in the frame as junior Katherine Sisson (Underhill, Vt.) knocked in the first run as she nearly missed a home run to left, as sophomore Laura Stagliano (Voorhees, N.J.) scored on the play. Freshman Bree Cassidy (Mission Viejo, Calif.) and senior Jeanine Connolly (West Bridgewater, Mass.) each added RBI singles, and with the bases loaded Haley delivered the big hit in the inning with a bases-clearing triple to center.

Vermont (8-37, 4-16 America East) increased its lead to four as it tacked on a run in the fifth. Stagliano led off with a single to left, stole second and with two outs came around to score on a double to the gap in left-center by Cassidy.

Haley’s four RBI were one more than she had on the season entering the game. Connolly, Stagliano, Cassidy and freshman Tasha Manning (Ellsworth, Maine) each had two hits in the game, while sophomore Caitlin Monahan (Clarks Summit, Pa.) earned the win with the complete game in the circle. The eight runs scored tied for the second-most this season for the Cats, as they are now 3-0 this year when scoring eight or more.

Maine scored first in the opener when Erin Iandoli hit a solo home run with one out in the top of the third.

After Vermont’s Rebecca Heimbigner (Napa, Calif.) reached on an error to lead off the first inning, Maine starting pitcher Jenna Balent retired the next 12 straight before Haley broke up the no-hitter with a single.

The Black Bears (31-22, 11-9 America East) added a pair in the sixth, pushing their lead to 3-0. With two outs Stephanie George doubled to left, just out of the reach of Haley, to score Terren Hall. Melinda Corssino pinch ran for George, as she stole second and came around on a single off the bat of pinch-hitter Davis.

The Catamounts cut the score to 3-1 with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Cassidy opened the frame with a bunt single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. A ground out would move Cassidy to third and she touched home on a single from Stagliano.

Maine would add a run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Waters that platted Alexis Souhlaris.

Balent earned the win for Maine, going the distance and striking out six. Sophomore Jocelyn Abaray (Acushnet, Mass.) started for the Cats, throwing the first six innings before giving way to Monahan.

The two teams wrap up the three-game set on Sunday with a single game starting at 12 p.m. Sunday will also be “Senior Day” for Catamounts Connolly and Alison Daggett (Fort Collins, Colo.).