Sophomore third baseman Alyssa Derrick belted a two-run homer with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to cap a four-run rally that gave the University of Maine’s softball team a 5-4 victory over Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Wednesday.
The Black Bears entered the seventh trailing 4-1 but Maddie Decker and Chloe Douglass stroked one-out singles to start the rally. Rachel Carlson reached on a fielder’s choice and pinch-hitter Faythe Goins walked to load the bases.
Rachel Harvey belted a two-run double to left to pull UMaine within one before 2016 America East Rookie of the Year Derrick walloped her 10th homer of the season to center field.
Derrick extended her hitting streak to six games with the homer (11-for-20, .550) and she has now collected at least one RBI in seven straight games (10 RBIs).
UMaine improved to 13-18 with its fourth straight victory and 10th in 11 games. Holy Cross lost its fourth in a row and fell to 7-24.
Holy Cross jumped out to a 3-0 lead with three unearned runs in the first.
Taylor Wahler struck out swinging but reached on a passed ball and eventually scored on Mandy McCarthy’s single. Taylor Moss singled, Savannah Young reached on an infield error and Sydney Burr hit a two-run double.
UMaine scored an unearned run in the top of the sixth on Felicia Lennon’s sacrifice fly but Holy Cross answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth on Burr’s RBI triple.
Annie Kennedy went the distance for the win, scattering eight hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Just one of the runs off her was earned.
UMaine didn’t have a repeat hitter while Burr, Moss and Emily Krisanda had two hits apiece for the Crusaders.
Katy Watson hurled a complete game for Holy Cross, allowing six hits and five runs, four earned, with eight strikeouts and five walks.
UMaine gets back to America East play this weekend when they travel to play three against University of Maryland-Baltimore County. They will play one on Friday at 3 p.m. and a Saturday doubleheader at 11 a.m.