BANGOR, Maine – Bates College softball dropped a pair of games to Husson University, 11-6 and 5-3, despite tying both games in the late innings, in a doubleheader at O'Keefe Field on Wednesday afternoon and evening.

The Bobcats (8-17) tied both contests in the top of the sixth, but the Eagles (21-9) plated five runs in the bottom of the sixth in game one and two runs in the same frame in game two to pull out the victories.

Husson's Kayla Merrill homered twice in game one while Breanna Martin and Sami Schultz each hit a home run. Bates sophomore Melissa Paione (Auburn, Maine) hit a two-run blast in game two, and the Eagles' Lyndsey Merrill also went deep in the contest.

Next, Bates plays at Bowdoin on Friday at 4 p.m. before hosting the Polar Bears for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon. 

Game One Recap – Husson 11, Bates 6

After Bates scored four runs in the top of the sixth to tie the score at 6-6, Husson answered with five runs in the last half of the inning to take an 11-6 win in game one.

Kayla Merrill went 3-for-5 with her two home runs and five RBIs in the game while Allison Hill and Martin each notched two hits and two RBIs.

Senior Alayna Garbarino (Reading, Mass.) went 2-for-4 with two runs scored for the Bobcats, and junior Molly Brown (South Dartmouth, Mass.) enjoyed a 2-for-3 effort with an RBI and a run.

Husson's Alannah Healy picked up the win (3-0) with three innings of relief after Amanda Ryan went four innings in the start. Bates junior Kelsey Freedman (Falmouth, Maine) took the loss (5-10), striking out seven over a complete-game six innings.

After Kayla Merrill hit a two-run blast to left center in the bottom of the third, the Bobcats responded with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth as first-year Maddie Inlow (Falmouth, Maine) brought in a run with a sacrifice fly, and sophomore Alex Eliopoulos (Akron, Ohio) plated a run with a ground out.

The Eagles took a 6-2 lead after the bottom of the fifth as Haley Spiers tallied an RBI double, Kayla Maerrill hit a two-run homer to left center, and Breanna Martin added a solo shot to center field.

The Bobcats tied the game with four runs in the top of the sixth which included an RBI double from Paione and an RBI single from Brown. The hosts countered with five runs in the bottom of the inning as Schultz homered, Merrill singled in a run, Hill brought home two with a double, and Martin singled through the left side to score one more.

Game Two Recap – Husson 5, Bates 3

Bates again knotted the score with two runs in the top of the sixth, but Husson broke the tie with two runs in the last half of the frame for a 5-3 win in game two.

Paione hit her third home run of the season – a shot to left center – in the top of the sixth to tie the game while sophomore Karen Lockhart (East Greenwich, R.I.) went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the contest.

For the Eagles, Lyndsey Merrill went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run in the first while Kayla Merrill collected two hits, one run, and one RBI.

Kayla Merrill also earned the win (10-3) for the hosts, allowing three runs, all earned, in a complete-game seven innings. Bates junior Brenna Callahan (Milton, Mass.) absorbed the loss (3-7), striking out five over six innings.

Bates took a 1-0 lead after the top of the first as Inlow hit her second sacrifice fly in as many games. The Eagles then gained a 2-1 edge as Lyndsey Merrill hit her two-run homer down the left field line in the bottom of the first. Husson tacked on another run in the bottom of the third as a Martin infield single brought home a run.

The Bobcats tied the game on Paione's blast in the sixth, but Kayla Merrill and Hill each posted RBI singles in the bottom of the frame to push the Eagles over the top.