AUBURN, Maine – NHTI Softball wrapped up its currently scheduled fall slate Monday evening with a non-conference doubleheader at Central Maine Community College, falling 18-1 in five innings in game one before scoring a season-high six runs in a 17-6, five-inning loss in the nightcap.
Monday's contests were rescheduled from Sept. 26 after being postponed due to weather.
The results move NHTI to 0-6 overall while remaining 0-0 in Yankee Small College Conference play. Although all of NHTI's games this fall have been against members of the YSCC, they have all been designated as non-conference contests.
Game One: Central Maine 18, NHTI 1
NHTI collected seven hits in the opener but was unable to capitalize on several early opportunities as Central Maine built a 9-0 advantage through two innings.
The Lynx opened the game with three hits in the first inning. Ellie Procunier (Buckeye, Ariz.) singled to begin the afternoon and Kaitlyn Durfee (Laconia, N.H.) followed with a single before Haley Hebert (Litchfield, N.H.) added another hit later in the inning, but NHTI was held scoreless.
Central Maine scored four runs in the bottom of the first and added five in the second before NHTI broke through in the third.
Durfee doubled to center to open the inning and came around to score when Hebert singled to center, cutting the deficit to 9-1. Kyla Kirton (Derry, N.H.) followed with a single to give NHTI three hits in the inning.
The Mustangs responded with nine runs in the bottom half to extend their lead to 18-1.
Durfee and Hebert led NHTI with two hits apiece. Durfee finished 2-for-3 with a double and the Lynx' lone run, while Hebert went 2-for-3 and drove in the run. Procunier, Kirton and Jasmine Chemtai each added one hit as NHTI finished with seven hits overall.
Durfee worked four innings in the circle, allowing 18 runs, 10 earned, on 16 hits with nine walks and one strikeout.
Game Two: Central Maine 17, NHTI 6
The Lynx produced their strongest offensive showing of the fall in game two, scoring a season-high six runs on seven hits.
NHTI jumped in front in the opening frame. Procunier led off with a single and stole second before Durfee singled to put runners on the corners. Procunier scored on a passed ball, and Durfee later came home on a groundout from Hebert to give the Lynx a 2-0 advantage.
Central Maine scored once in the bottom of the first before taking the lead with six runs in the second.
NHTI answered in the third when Procunier tripled to center and scored on a single from Camilla Cote (Northfield, N.H.), cutting the deficit to 7-3.
The Mustangs added three runs in the third and seven more in the fourth to extend their advantage to 17-3, but the Lynx closed the afternoon with another rally in the fifth.
Persephone Chavis was hit by a pitch to begin the inning before Procunier singled and Durfee walked to load the bases. Cote brought home Chavis on a groundout, Hebert followed with an RBI single to score Procunier and Leila Topham (Rowlett, Texas) singled home Durfee for NHTI's third run of the inning.
Procunier finished a perfect 3-for-3 with a triple, three runs scored and a stolen base. Durfee went 1-for-2 with two runs and a walk, while Cote finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a walk. Hebert drove in two runs, and Topham added an RBI as NHTI finished with six runs on seven hits.
Durfee started in the circle and worked 2.2 innings before Kyleigh Levesque (Manchester, N.H.) entered in relief. Durfee allowed eight runs, six earned, on three hits, while Levesque worked 1.1 innings and allowed nine runs, eight earned, on five hits.
The doubleheader was NHTI's second meeting with Central Maine this fall after the Mustangs took two games in Concord on Sept. 14.
NHTI finishes the currently scheduled portion of its fall campaign at 0-6 overall.
UP NEXT
The Lynx are scheduled to return to countable action in the spring when they open YSCC play against the University of Maine at Augusta on April 18 in Concord.
