Taylor Soule scored nine of her 21 points during a 22-7 surge in the second quarter, and Boston College advanced to the second round of the Women’s NIT with a 69-44 win Thursday night over Maine in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
Maine led 18-16 after one quarter, but a 3-pointer by Kaylah Ivey started a 12-0 run for Boston College early in the second. Soule capped the surge with seven straight points, giving the Eagles a 32-20 lead.
Maria Gakdeng chipped in with 13 points and Ivey added 10 for the Eagles, who advanced to face Quinnipiac or Rhode Island.
Caroline Bornemann paced Maine with 18 points. Anne Simon scored 14.
BASEBALL
SALVE REGINA 8, SOUTHERN MAINE 3: Tyler Petrosino hit a three-run homer during a six-run seventh inning, and Dominic Perachi gave up two hits over six innings as the Seahawks (5-4) defeated the Huskies (2-6) in Auburndale, Florida.
Arlo Pike hit a two-run homer for USM.
BOWDOIN LOSES TWICE: Colton DeRocher went 5 for 5 with five RBI, and Central (7-1) scored on a balk in the bottom of the ninth inning to pull out a 13-12 win over Bowdoin (3-5) in Auburndale, Florida.
CJ Brito-Trinidad hit a two-run homer for Bowdoin. Stephen Simoes and Gabe Peckler also drove in two runs apiece.
Earlier, the Polar Bears lost 7-5 to New York University (7-0), despite Luke Chessie’s two-run homer.
SOFTBALL
UNE SPLITS: Tina LeBlanc capped a five-run first inning with a two-run single, and Abby Miner and Meghan Chamberlain also drove in two runs apiece for the University of New England (2-6) in an 8-5 win over Amherst (3-2) at Leesburg, Florida.
Miner went 3 for 4, including a home run in the seventh.
The Nor’easters lost their first game of the day, 3-1 against Augsburg. UNE’s Taylor Depot hit a triple in the second inning and scored on Miner’s sacrifice fly.
SOUTHERN MAINE SWEPT: Kayla Hillenbrand’s RBI single capped a two-run rally in the top of the seventh inning as The College of New Jersey (5-2) earned a 7-6 win over Southern Maine (2-5) in Kissimmee, Florida.
Rona Scott hit an RBI double and a two-run single for USM, which erased an early 3-0 deficit.
Earlier, Rutgers-Camden (3-4) scored twice in the sixth inning for a 2-1 win over USM (2-4). Scott hit an RBI triple in the first inning. Lauren Merrill took the loss despite allowing just five hits over six innings.
COLBY SWEEPS THOMAS: Chloe Wilcox hit two RBI doubles as the Mules edged the Terriers, 2-1, in the first game of a doubleheader in Waterville. Sam Ahlholm struck out four and gave up one hit over five innings.
In the second game, Chloe Wilcox had a double, three RBI and a run scored as Colby (2-0) used a five-run fifth inning to pull away from the Terriers (4-8) for a 7-2 win.
Brenna Forbes and Ashley Ketchum had an RBI single each. Ashley Orso gave up three hits, one earned run and struck out 10 over five innings for the win.
EMERSON SWEEPS BATES: Claire Overton hit a two-run triple and an RBI double in Game 1, and Jessica Gomez pitched a three-hitter in the second game as Emerson (7-2) won twice against Bates (0-2) in Boston, 11-4 and 6-3.
Cassidy Musco hit a two-run single for Bates in the opener. Maggie Hillwig drove in two runs in Game 2.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
UMAINE-FARMINGTON: UMF senior Terion Moss of Portland has been honored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches as a Division III first-team selection in District 1, which encompasses New England.
Moss, also chosen as the Player of the Year by the Maine Men’s Basketball Coaches and Writers Association, averaged 27 points and 4.2 assists this season while leading UMF to a 14-7 record.
MISSISSIPPI STATE: Coach Ben Howland is out after seven seasons with the program.
A release did not provide details about Howland’s departure, and a message left with a basketball spokesman was not immediately returned. Athletic Director John Cohen thanked Howland for his devotion to the program in the release and wished him and his family “the absolute best.”
Howland went 18-16 this season with the Bulldogs and 134-98 overall.
UCLA: Mick Cronin signed a six-year contract extension as coach through the 2027-28 season.
Cronin has a record of 66-29 in his first three seasons at UCLA. Last year, he guided the Bruins to their first Final Four appearance since 2008.
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