Orono, ME - The Northern Vermont University-Lyndon softball team combined solid pitching and timely hitting to take both ends of Sunday's North Atlantic Conference doubleheader from the University of Maine at Presque Isle.  The games were played inside the Mahaney Dome on the campus of the University of Maine at Orono.  The Hornets downed the Owls, 7-3, in the opener, then squeezed out a 4-3 win in the nightcap.  Lyndon improves to 7-9 on the season and 2-2 in the NAC, while UMPI falls to 3-19 overall and 2-2 in conference.

Game 1 - NVU-Lyndon 7, UMaine-Presque Isle 3

UMPI took the early lead in the bottom of the first inning when Jordan Hansen led off with a home run off of Hornet starter Victoria Valentine (Lyndon, VT).  The solo shot would prove to be the only Owl damage in the early innings, as Valentine kept UMPI off the board in the next three innings.

Lyndon grabbed the lead by capitalizing on a pair of Owl miscues.  With one out, Jordan Adams (Lyndon, VT) and Amber Everett (Morrisville, VT) reached on back to back errors.  Blake Southworth (Bethel, VT) then drove in Adams with an RBI double to tie things up,  Seairra Anderson (Somersworth, NH) followed with another double, scoring Everett and Southworth to give the Hornets the lead,

The Hornets built on their lead in the next inning.  Valentine led off with a base hit and came around to score on Riann Fortin's (Derby, VT) double.  Lauren Siciliano (Lynbrook, NY) then reached on an error and stole second.  After Owl pitcher Olivia Riitano retired the next two hitters, Southworth delivered a two-out base hit to score both Fortin an Siciliano.

Lyndon tacked on one more run in the top half of the fifth inning.  Caludia Knapp (Howell, NJ) singled to start the inning and eventually came around to score on a passed ball to make the score 7-1, Hornets.

UMPI finally got something going in the home half of the fifth inning.  Three consecutive base hits by Savannah Rodriguez, Zoe Aylward-Frank, and Alyssa Merone loaded the bases with no outs.  Hansen then drew a walk to force in a run.  Lyndon shortstop Saleena Porter (St. Johnsbury, VT) and third baseman Anderson gunned down consecutive runners at the plate.  However Hansen was able to score on a passed ball.  Valentine then got Anaiz Diaz to ground out to Porter to end the UMPI threat.

Valentine then retired the next six UMPI hitters to close out the game and secure the win.  In total she allowed three runs on five hits over her seven innings of work.  Riitano took the loss, yielding four earned runs on eight hits while striking out a pair.

Game 2 - NVU-Lyndon 4, UMaine-Presque Isle 3

Lyndon got on the board first in the top of the second inning.  Porter led things off with a double and later came home on Fortin's ground out.  Siciliano then singled and Emily Anderson (Levittown, NY) walked.  After both runners moved up on a passed ball, Everett reached on an error, scoring Siciliano.  Southworth's base hit scored Anderson, giving the Hornets a 3-0 lead.

UMPI got two runs back in the bottom of the second.  After Aylward-Frank singled with two outs, Merrone's base hit was misplayed into a three base error, scoring both runners.

The Hornets added to their lead in the top of the fourth inning.  Siciliano led off with a single, advanced to second on Emily Anderson's ground out, then to third on a passed ball.  When Southworth reached on an error, Siciliano scored to make it 4-2, Hornets.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Dalaney Anfinson was hit by a pitch with one out.  Diaz then doubled, moving Anfinson to third.  Karis Dankert's sacrifice fly to center field scored Anfinson and cutting the Hornet lead to one run.  Valentine got Reagan Calvin to line out, ending the threat.

Valentine retired the Owls in order in the home seventh to wrap up her second win of the day.  She allowed three runs on four hits, striking out two over another seven-inning appearance.  Hansen took the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out four.

The Hornets will play at home for the first time next Saturday afternoon, when Northern Vermont University-Johnson comes to the Skip Pound Softball Complex.  First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm.