BANGOR, Maine - Thomas softball was able to win two more games on Saturday, to set up a rematch against host and #1 seed Husson University on Sunday.
Thomas came in to their afternoon game against Cazenovia, having already
beaten SUNY-Canton 9-0 on Saturday morning.
Thomas 10 Cazenovia College 6
Thomas gave up three early runs in their game against the Wildcats, going down by as many as four runs but were able to regroup, putting up seven runs in the fifth inning to help avoid elimination.
The Terriers got one run back in the bottom of the first when
Maddie Rock (Bridgton, Maine) singled to second base to score
Kelsey Currier (Cumberland, Maine). Cazenovia scored a run in both the second and third innings to take a 5-1 lead but Thomas stayed in and chipped away at their lead.
Thomas got back within two runs when
Kasey Champney (Holland, Vt.) singled down the right field line to score
Claudia Migliaccio (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Rock. Neither team was able to score again until the Terrier's monster seven run inning.
Champney kicked off the scoring in the fifth with a single up the middle to cut the Wildcat lead down to 5-4.
Kayla Duhaime (Ellsworth, Maine) followed that up with a triple down the right field line to score Champney. Currier brought home two more runs with a double down the left field line and
Anna Piirainen (West Paris, Maine) doubled to right center to score Currier. Piirainen was able to score off an error by the Cazenovia pitcher and Dunphy was able to cross the plate with a single by Migliaccio.
The Terriers took a 10-5 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Wildcats were able to get one more run but were unable to complete the comeback.
Champney led Thomas' offense with two hits, three RBIs, and two runs scored. Migliaccio contributed two hits, two runs scored, and one RBI while Currier had one hit, two runs scored, and two RBIs.
Currier picked her ninth win on the mound for Thomas, pitching six and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out three.
Thomas 6 SUNY Cobleskill 4
The Terriers had no time to celebrate as they had to come back out right away and beat the Fighting Tigers to advance to the championship against the host Eagles.
Thomas again found themselves down early, giving up two runs in the first inning but the Thomas bats came alive in the third inning much like they did in the fifth inning of game eight. The Terriers took a 5-2 lead with six hits and some heads-up baserunning. Dunphy kicked things off in the third with a single with a bunt to score Currier. Rock and
Kaylee Fonseca (Seekonk, Mass.) both added singles to help get drive runs home. Migliaccio scored the fifth run on a passed ball to give Thomas a 5-2 lead.
Cobleskill was able to get one run back in the third and one in the fifth but were unable to close the gap. Currier played a key part in the Terrier's ability to close the game. She pitched the final three innings, picking up the save allowing just one run on two hits.
Dunphy continued her impressive season, picking up a game-high four hits while driving in two runs and scoring once herself. Currier added three hits and Rock had two. Migliaccio picked up her second win of the day, pitching four innings, allowing three runs on six hits and striking out one.
Championship Preview
Thomas will now face the Husson University Eagle for the fourth time this season. They split their regular season meetings in Waterville, with the Eagles winning game one and the Terriers picking up game two. They were the only team to beat the #1 seed in the regular season. Thomas fell 3-2 to Husson in extras on Friday, for their only loss so far in the playoffs.
It is also a rematch of last year's North Atlantic Conference East Championship match up. The Eagles won both games, 5-1 and 4-2 respectively.
First pitch on Sunday is scheduled for noon. The Terriers will need to beat Husson twice on Sunday to win the championship, since the Eagles have not lost yet this weekend.
