After losing the first game of the North Atlantic Conference softball tournament, Husson University pitcher Becca McCarty approached the rest of the tournament with one thought in her mind.

“I knew once we lost a game, we’d be done,” McCarty, a sophomore, said. “I looked at it one batter at a time, one inning at a time.”

McCarty, a Skowhegan Area High School graduate, turned in her best pitching effort in an already strong season. After losing to Thomas College in the opening game of the tournament, McCarty was dominant. Over the next four games, McCarty threw 22 innings and allowed just one unearned run. In those four games, McCarty gave up 12 hits and four walks while striking out 23 batters.

In the conference final, a 9-1 win over Thomas shortened to five innings, McCarty gave up two hits while striking out seven. She was named Most Valuable Player of the conference tournament, helping the Eagles win their fourth consecutive conference title.

The Eagles (33-11) learn on Monday who they’ll play in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament. McCarty said the team expects to go to either Eastern Connecticut State or Amherst College. Eastern Connecticut is ranked second in the country in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, while Amherst is ranked 25th. Husson is ranked eighth in New England.

McCarty’s record is 18-7, and she boasts a 2.01 earned run average. In 1321/3 innings pitched, McCarty has 111 strikeouts and just 36 walks. She leads the conference in ERA and wins, and is second in strikeouts. Along with being named the tournament MVP, McCarty was a second team all-conference selection.

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At the plate, McCarty has a .378 batting average, with one home run and nine runs batted in.

McCarty embraced being Husson’s ace.

“I needed to be that person (coach Amanda Bourgoin) could count on,” McCarty said.

A big part of McCarty’s development this season is her comfort level. Last season, McCarty joined the team late, after transferring from the University of Southern Maine.

“I didn’t know the team. I wasn’t familiar with anybody,” McCarty said.

This season, McCarty worked on improving her arsenal of pitches. She has a better changeup and riseball.

“I’m fine tuning even more,” McCarty said.

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com


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