WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Hartford softball team concluded its 2012 campaign with an impressive victory over the Maine Black Bears on Sunday afternoon, taking the final game of the series by a 4-3 count. In her last time donning the scarlet and white, senior Siera Sheehan tossed her 27th complete game of the season for the Hawks, who never trailed in the outing, to lead her team to the triumph.

Hartford concludes its season with a mark of 10-43 and 4-14 in the America East while Maine, which clinched a spot in the upcoming conference tournament, ends its regular season at 17-28-1 (8-9-1 AE).

Prior to the start of Sunday's game, both Sheehan and fellow classmate and co-captains Shannon Simpkins were honored in a Senior Day Ceremony. During her four-year career, Sheehan compiled 25 victories, fifth-most in Hartford history, and is also among the top-five in career appearances (100), complete games (63) and strikeouts (242). Simpkins patrolled Hartford's outfield for four years, seeing time in 136 games while making 128 career starts. A natural leader, she finished her career with 56 runs and 17 RBI.

Hartford was the team to draw blood first on Sunday as a two-out rally in the bottom of the second allowed the home team to strike the scoreboard. Junior outfielder Erica Phelps put the Hawks ahead early at 1-0 when she belted out a double to left field, allowing first baseman Melani Maxwell to score from first after drawing a walk in the previous at-bat.

Another single run was added to Hartford's count in the bottom of the second as it doubled its lead to 2-0 using a pair of hits to do the damage. With one out recorded, Amber Andrews slammed a two-bagger to right center field and moved up 60 feet thanks to a groundout by right fielder Devynne Butler. Kate Wacyk, a junior, earned the RBI in the next at-bat when she roped a double over the head of Maine centerfielder Lindsey Jenkins. The inning was cut short for the Hawks, however, as Wacyk tried to grab one more base out of her hit and was gunned down at third base.

The Black Bears cut the Hawks' lead in half in the top half of the fourth, as Dagmar Ralphs used a one-out sacrifice fly to plate their first run of the game. The play at home plate was tight however as Margaret Betz, Hartford's left fielder made the catch and rifled a throw to catcher Peyton Fisher who came inches short of making the tag and nearly prevented the run from reaching the scoreboard.

In the home half of the sixth, the Hawks strung together a pair of runs using four hits to take their largest lead of the entire weekend. Jordan Haines belted out a triple to right center field to start things off and crossed home plate in the next at-bat as Kelly found the gap in left field for an RBI base hit to help the Hawks regain their two-run cushion.

After Kelly advanced 60 more feet on a wild pitch, Maxwell reached base on an infield single, and just one batter later, rookie Betz drove-in Hartford's third baseman from the hot corner to provide the Hawks with their largest lead of the series at 4-1.

Maine made the game interesting in its final at-bats as it scored two runs in the top of the seventh to trim its deficit to a single run. A throwing error by the Hawks' infield allowed the first run to cross home plate while the second tally was scratched on an RBI single by Jenkins. Sheehan got out of the jam successfully however as she retired Jenny MacDonald on an infield groundout to the circle to record the final out of her career.

Four of Sheehan's innings went 1-2-3 in the outing. She allowed three runs – one earned – on four hits while issuing three walks in the game. For Maine, Beth Spoehr suffered the loss and drops to 5-9 on the season after allowing four earned runs on nine hits.