STANDISH, Maine -- Playing a markedly different lineup from their last game over a year ago, the Bates softball team played a doubleheader at Saint Joseph's College of Maine on Saturday, dropping Game 1 5-1 and seeing a comeback bid come up short in Game 2, 6-5.

Since their last official game, played March 12, 2020 in Florida, the Bobcats not only graduated All-NESCAC pitcher Kirsten Pelletier and a mainstay in the middle of the lineup, Julia Panepinto. They also are without the services of three other past starters from the junior class who are studying remotely this semester, in catcher Emily Samar (New York City), shortstop Kennedy Ishii (Honolulu, Hawaii) and first baseman Eliza McNulty (Cambridge, Mass.). 

Game 2 Recap

Bates trailed 6-2 heading into the fifth inning of Game 2, but senior outfielder Caroline Bass (Newton, Mass.) led off with a single and junior Aleah Pagan (Orinda, Calif.) followed with a double, putting runners on second and third. St. Joe's pitcher Sydney Hatch retired first-year Lindsey Kim (Palo Alto, Calif.) and junior Janell Sato (Honolulu, Hawaii), with Bass scoring on a groundout. But first-year Rachel Liazos (Westborough, Mass.) delivered a single to right to score Pagan. 

Senior Mary Collette (Watertown, Conn.) then delivered an RBI double to score sophomore pinch-runner Cassidy Musco (Walpole, Mass.), closing the gap to 6-5. The Monks replaced Hatch with Emily Eagleston in the circle, and escaped further damage as Eagleston stranded Collette at second by inducing a groundout.

Bates took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second, as sophomore Amanda Taylor (Fair Lawn, N.J.) launched her first career home run, an opposite-field shot over the fence in right-center field, scoring Liazos (single) on the play. 

But the Monks answered with five runs in the bottom of the second off of senior righthander Jevan Sandhu (Plymouth, N.H.). The Monks strung together three singles before Meranda Martin's triple scored two runs. Lydia Howarth singled to score Martin before Sandhu ended the inning with a fly-out.

After its rally in the fifth inning, Bates threatened the hosts' lead again in the sixth when Bass hit a two-out single, her fourth hit of the day, and reached third base on a steal and a passed ball. But Emily Eagleston struck out Pagan to preserve the Monks' lead. 

Again in the seventh the Bobcats stranded the tying run at third, as Kim led off with a single, reached second on a sacrifice by Liazos and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Collette then drew a walk, but Taylor's fly out to left ended the game and gave Eagleston the save.

Bates totaled 10 hits in Game 2, including two apiece by Bass, Liazos and Sandhu. Sandhu pitched a complete game in the loss, giving up six runs (all earned) in six innings on 10 hits and four walks. Hatch picked up the win with five runs allowed (all earned) over 4.2 innings, and Eagleston threw the final scoreless 2.1 innings for the save.

Game 1 Recap

St. Joe's scored a run in the first inning off of Bates senior Payton Buxton (Middlebury, Vt.), then added three runs in the third and a fifth run in the fifth to distance themselves from the Bobcats for the 5-1 win. 

Buxton allowed five runs, four earned, on nine hits and one walk with three strikeouts in a complete game loss. 

St. Joe's lefthander Meredith Pence held Bates to one run, scattering five hits, five walks and two hit batters. 

Megan Eagleston was the Game 1 hero for the Monks, batting 3-for-3 while posting an RBI single in the first and a two-run single in the third inning for a 4-1 lead. 

Bass batted 2-for-4 from the leadoff spot, including an RBI double that scored Taylor for Bates' lone run in the second inning. 

Bates' remaining schedule is subject to change, but the Bobcats are next scheduled to begin their shortened NESCAC schedule next weekend with a home doubleheader against Bowdoin on Apr. 3 starting at 1pm.