UMaine softball edges Husson 2-1 on pinch-hit home run

UMaine senior Madison Hand hit a go-ahead homer in the 5th inning to lift the Black Bears over the nationally-ranked Eagles.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 1:49am

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A vibrant, fragmented painting depicting a softball game in motion, with sharp planes of color and overlapping geometric forms representing the energy and competitive spirit of the matchup between the two Maine programs.A fractured, cubist interpretation of the intense softball rivalry between UMaine and Husson, with a game-winning home run blast captured in dynamic geometric shapes.Bangor Today

In a well-played game between the Division I University of Maine Black Bears and the Division III Husson University Eagles, UMaine senior designated player Madison Hand came off the bench as a pinch-hitter in the 5th inning and hit a go-ahead solo home run to give the Black Bears a 2-1 victory. Husson junior ace Ana Lang had been dominant on the mound, but Hand was able to foul off several two-strike pitches before launching the decisive blast over the left-center field fence.

Why it matters

This was the first meeting between the two in-state rivals since 2014, with UMaine having won all 16 previous matchups. The game featured strong pitching performances on both sides, with Lang striking out 11 for Husson and UMaine's Ava Zettlemoyer tossing three scoreless innings of relief to earn the win.

The details

Husson junior Ana Lang, who entered the game with the nation's 7th-lowest ERA in Division III, had gotten ahead of Hand in the count before the UMaine senior fouled off three straight two-strike pitches. Hand then launched a 1-2 riseball over the left-center field fence to break a 1-1 tie in the 5th inning. Lang had allowed just 2 homers all season prior to Hand's decisive blast.

  • The game was played on Wednesday night at the Pierre and Catherine Labat Softball Complex in Orono, Maine.
  • UMaine took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning on Keira Inman's RBI triple and a delayed steal of home by Eviana Robles.
  • Husson's Emily Dunbar tied the game at 1-1 with a solo homer in the 4th inning.

The players

Madison Hand

A senior designated player for the University of Maine Black Bears who hit the game-winning pinch-hit home run in the 5th inning.

Ana Lang

A junior pitcher for the Husson University Eagles who entered the game with the 7th-lowest ERA in Division III, striking out 11 batters.

Ava Zettlemoyer

The senior right-handed pitcher for the University of Maine who earned the win with 3 impressive innings of scoreless, no-hit relief.

Keira Inman

A UMaine player who tripled and scored the team's first run in the 2nd inning.

Emily Dunbar

The Husson player who hit a solo home run to tie the game at 1-1 in the 4th inning.

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What they’re saying

“I made her pitch to me and I think that's what made me successful. She threw me a riseball and I got it early and got my top hand on top of it.”

— Madison Hand, UMaine senior designated player

“They knew my riseball was my go-to pitch and they definitely prepared for it. There's not much I could do about that one.”

— Ana Lang, Husson junior pitcher

“My curveball was my best pitch. And I came into the game really confident. It was fun having people here under the lights at home. I had a lot of support in the field. It feels really good when the players behind you are talking you up.”

— Ava Zettlemoyer, UMaine senior pitcher

“We haven't seen that kind of speed so far this year.”

— Rick Roberts, Husson head coach and pitching guru

“Our kids battled. We were hoping for a win but didn't get it. They showed a lot of heart. I'm proud of them.”

— Rick Roberts, Husson head coach

What’s next

The two teams are not scheduled to meet again this season, but the in-state rivalry is expected to continue in future years as the programs look to renew the matchup.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the competitive spirit and talent on display when Division I and Division III softball programs face off, with the UMaine Black Bears edging the nationally-ranked Husson Eagles in a well-played, back-and-forth battle.