The North Atlantic Conference Pitcher of the Year and Player of the Year came through for the Husson University softball team on Friday.
Sophomore third baseman and Player of the Year Kenzie Dore from Holden and Brewer High homered, tripled and singled to drive in three runs and Pitcher of the Year McKenna Smith from Old Town tossed a four-hitter as Husson beat host Amherst College 6-1 in the NCAA Division III Regional.
Husson, now 27-9, will take on defending national champ Virginia Wesleyan, 34-11, on Saturday at noon in a winner’s bracket game. Virginia Wesleyan shut out Rochester 2-0 earlier Friday.
Amherst, 24-8, and Rochester, 26-14, will meet in a 2:30 p.m. elimination game.
Smith, who transferred from Division II Saint Anselm in Manchester, New Hampshire, struck out five and walked two to improve to 18-3.
Husson scored three unearned runs in the fifth inning to snap a 1-1 tie.
Katie Windsor singled to open the fifth and an infield fielding error put runners on first and second.
Windsor moved to third on a fly out, Bess stole second and the Eagles received consecutive two-out run-scoring singles from Meagan Gosselin, Brianne McCabe and Katie Raymond.
Dore belted a two-run homer in the sixth to supply some insurance runs after tripling in the first to deliver Husson’s first run.
Teagan Blackie had a double and a single for Husson.
Megan Taketa had a pair of triples for Amherst and scored the only run on a Rachel Lovejoy base hit.
