Johnson Drops a Pair to Thomas

SOUTH BERWICK, Maine - Johnson State softball opened their North Atlantic Conference (NAC) schedule on Saturday by dropping a pair of games against Thomas College at Marshwood High School in southern Maine.

Game 1:

Thomas 14, Johnson 0

Sophomore catcher Samantha Moore (Etna, Maine) went 3-for-4, scored three times, and drove in two runs to lead the Terrier offense to a 14 run effort while junior pitcher Sara Pavento (Glenburn, Ohio) allowed just five hits and struck out four to earn the shutout victory for Thomas.  The Terriers move to 8-7 overall, 2-1 NAC.  Johnson falls to 1-10 overall, 0-1 NAC.

Thomas scored three times in the first inning to stake Pavento to the early lead and cruise to the game one victory.

Senior centerfield Mallory Blakney (Fairfield, Maine) went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBI while sophomore Kelsey Crowe (Gorham, Maine) also accounted for three RBI.

Freshman centerfield Amber McCullock (Morrisville, Vt.) went 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base for JSC while sophomore pitcher Meagan Russ (Burlington, Vt.) was tagged with the pitching decision loss.

Game 2:

Thomas 7, Johnson 3

Thomas turned a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning into a 7-0 lead with a six run stanza en route to a 7-3 victory.  Thomas improves to 9-7 overall, 3-1 in the NAC while JSC drops to 1-11, 0-2 NAC.

The Terriers strung together three consecutive hits following a lead-off walk in fourth inning and capped the inning with a two-run double by freshman Cassie Manning (North Haverill, N.H.) to create the 7-0 margin.

Johnson would respond with a three-run bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to 7-3.  The Badgers' opened the fourth with four straights hits getting singles from McCullock, Tanya Randall (Fryeburg, Maine), and then an RBI double from Morgan Rogerson (Hardwick, Vt.) and a two-run double from Erica Pustari (North Haven, Conn.).

No one would score the rest of way as the Terriers' Jordan Kennedy (Detroit, Maine) earned the victory scattering six hits and striking out six.

Johnson received a decent effort from sophomore Caitlin Mackey (St. Albans, Vt.) in the circle who surrendered nine hits and walked seven in the loss.

Thomas' Lindsay Fry (Nantucket, Mass.) and Manning each drove in two runs to spark the Terrier offense while JSC's Rogerson went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.