The University of Maine’s softball team, which produced 24 runs in three America East Tournament victories, was silenced by All-Southeastern Conference right-hander Chelsea Wilkinson and freshman lefty Kylie Bass as the host University of Georgia Bulldogs beat the Black Bears 6-0 in their NCAA Athens Regional opener Friday.
Maine, making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2004, managed just five singles and Wilkinson and Bass combined to strike out 14 as the Bulldogs improved to 41-17.
Georgia received two doubles and three RBIs from Alyssa DiCarlo and Tina Iosefa hit her 21st homer of the season.
The Bulldogs will face 30-29 Northwestern, a 2-1 winner over Oklahoma State, in Saturday’s 1 p.m. winners bracket game of the double-elimination regional.
The 28-20 Black Bears will play 29-25 Oklahoma State at 3:30 p.m. in a losers bracket game and the Georgia-Northwestern loser will take on the Maine-Oklahoma State winner at 6 p.m.
Wilkinson struck out eight and allowed one hit over three innings before Bass came on to toss four innings of four-hit ball with six strikeouts. Neither walked a hitter.
Maine junior shortstop Felicia Lennon said Wilkinson and Bass were the best pitchers they’ve faced this season.
They threw harder than pitchers Maine had previously faced “and they had good riseballs. We hadn’t seen dominant riseball pitchers. It was something we had to adjust to,” she said.
DiCarlo’s two-out double in the first inning delivered a pair of unearned runs and gave the Bulldogs a lead they would never relinquish.
Maine ace lefty and America East Pitcher of the Year Erin Bogdanovich walked sisters Sydni and Cortni Emanuel on nine pitches to open the first.
Alex Hugo’s bunt was caught by Bogdanvoich but her throw to first to double up Cortni Emanuel was misplayed by first baseman Kristen Niland for an error.
Cortni Emanuel stole second and, one out later, DiCarlo ripped her line-drive double to right center.
“It was a great pitch, it was a low and outside fastball. But she put a golf swing on it,” said Maine senior catcher Janelle Bouchard. “Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to them. Their hitters had quick hands.”
Georgia added two more in the third, with another miscue proving to be damaging.
Hugo walked and stole second before scoring when Iosefa’s routine fly ball to left center was dropped by Maine left fielder Rachel Harvey. Iosefa was awarded a triple by the official scorer.
DiCarlo’s grounder to second scored pinch-runner Kayleigh Medlin.
The Bulldogs added a run in the fifth and sixth innings.
Bogdanovich suffered her first loss in her last 10 decisions. She allowed nine hits and six runs with four walks and four strikeouts.
Bogdanovich was satisfied with her performance but admitted that she struggled with the umpire’s small strike zone.
“I had to throw it where the hitters and umpire wanted it. We got the jitters out after the first couple of innings. The score didn’t reflect how well we played,” Bogdanovich said.
“It may sound weird but it was a great day for us. You can’t teach what the kids went through today. It was awesome for them to get that experience,” Maine head coach Mike Coutts said. “I was proud of them. They competed and kept the energy level up.”
Lennon, Rachel Carlson, Bouchard, Harvey and Maddie Decker singled for Maine.