GORHAM, ME  –Emily Leverone '12 (Hampton, NH) drove in four runs and Samantha Gray '12 (Yarmouth, Maine) drove in three to lead Saint Joseph's College to a sweep of the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a non-conference softball doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at Towers Field.

The loss is the third straight for Southern Maine, dropping its record to 4-14. St. Joe's extended its winning streak to 15 games and improves to 19-5 with the twinbill sweep. 

The Monks defeated Southern Maine 11-2 in five innings in the first game and downed the Huskies 6-1 in the second game. The second game was called in the seventh inning due to darkness.

Gray drove in all three of her runs with an effective pinch-hitting at-bat, smacking a bases-clearing triple that reached the center field wall. Gray's three-run three-bagger was part of a nine-run fifth inning for the Monks that earned them the mercy-rule win.  The Monks had six hits in the decisive inning. 

SJC rookie hurler Kayla Vannah (Waldoboro, ME) earned her second win on the mound after allowing two earned runs on six hits in five innings of work.  She did not walk a batter and struck out three. USM junior pitcher Sarah Deroche (Portland, ME/Deering) took the loss, allowing nine earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched. Deroche (3-4) yielded eight hits and gave up three walks while striking out seven.

Southern Maine freshman third baseman Katie Davis (Woburn, MA) extended her hitting streak to 11 games in the two-game set. Davis notched the Huskies lone RBI with a single to right-center field in the opener and finished the doubleheader 3-for-6 at the plate. 

In the second game, Leverone drove in a pair of runs and starting pitcher Christy Wezowicz (Granville, MA) held the USM bats just five hits and no earned runs to lead the Monks to a 6-1 win.  Wezowicz improved her record to 6-2, striking out five batters and giving up just one walk in six innings.  

Southern Maine returns to action on Wednesday at 3:30 PM for a non-conference doubleheader against University of New England. Saint Joseph's College travels to Simmons on Friday for a conference twinbill.

COURTESY OF USM SPORTS INFORMATION