Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 DARTMOUTH, Mass. – No. 23-ranked Southern Maine took home a pair of victories at UMass Dartmouth as both teams opened up Little East Conference action on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore Sam Stauble (Harrison, Maine) leads the Huskies on the day, going 6-for-10 and driving in five RBIs. UMass Dartmouth falls to 7-9 on the year, while Southern Maine picks up its fourth-straight win to improve to 11-5.
Southern Maine 8, Corsairs 6
Sophomore Kenny Michael (Norwood, Mass.) went 4-for-4 at bat for the Corsairs and scored three runs, but the Huskies defense held the lead for their pitching staff as Southern Maine escaped with a 8-6 win to open Little East play.
The Huskies cracked the scoreless tie in the top of the second inning, when senior Nick DiBiase (Portland, Maine) singled up the middle to score classmate Jake Glauser (Goffstown, N.H.) from second base. DiBiase would score later in the inning, when sophomore Kyle Heath (Westbrook, Maine) singled to right field.
The Corsairs cut the Huskies lead in half in the bottom of the fifth, when senior Connor Shaw (Goffstown, N.H.) laced a single to left field, scoring Michael from third.
In the top of the sixth, Southern Maine gained a single to right center by sophomore Brandon Martins (Manorville, N.Y.), followed by DiBiase plating Stauble on a sacrifice bunt. The Huskies would continue to gain ground, tacking on four runs on in the top of the seventh on the Corsair starter, junior Sean Callahan (Colchester, Vt.), after 6.2 innings of work.
The Corsairs were not down and out just yet. In the bottom half of the seventh, UMass Dartmouth came flying back with four runs of their own. Back-to-back singles up the middle by Michael and sophomore Jose Vasquez (Roxbury, Mass.) put UMass Dartmouth within scoring position, as freshman Ryan Ainslie (Weymouth, Mass.) joined the hit parade with a single to left field that sent Michael home. Freshman DeVon King (Carver, Mass.) drove in a pair with a single up the middle, eventually scoring on a double by fellow freshman Erick Ramirez (Boston, Mass.).
The Corsairs cut the lead to two when Michael scored on a passed ball in the eighth, but the Huskies' lead would hold through the last frame.
Callahan picked up loss for the Corsairs after striking out four over 6.2 innings of work, yielding eight runs, five earned. Senior Shyler Scates (Jefferson, Maine) earned his fifth win of the year after hurling seven innings, striking out six. Freshman Jake Dexter (Oakland, Maine) collected his first collegiate save after a 1-2-3 ninth.
Southern Maine 10, Corsairs 3
Four runs in the top of the second proved to be enough, as the Huskies prevailed in game two by a 10-3 score.
A two-out single to left field in the top of the second by junior Paul McDonough (Wells, Maine) scored both classmate Matt Bender (Walpole, Mass.) and Martins. Stauble doubled down the left field line one batter later to score McDonough and freshman Kaleb Bridgham (Minot, Maine) to give the Huskies the early 4-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, the Huskies would add two more runs when Glauser singled to center field, and Martins reached on fielder's choice.
UMass Dartmouth gained a run in the bottom half of the inning when Shaw grounded into a 5-4-3 double play, plating Michael in the process
Southern Maine then picked up two more runs in the top of the sixth with a double to right field by senior Sam Dexter (Oakland, Maine) and a single to center field for Stauble.
The Corsairs would score two two-out runs in the bottom of the sixth as sophomore Mac Curran (Lakeville, Mass.) singled up the middle and Vasquez followed with a hit of his own to right field, as both knocks scored one run each.
Southern Maine would pull away in the end, generating a run apiece in both seventh and the ninth.
Senior Aaron Chouinard (Swansea, Mass.) went 5.1 innings while striking out five batters, but gave up eight runs (six earned). Freshman Dalton Rice (Waterford, Maine) picked up his third win of the season after going five innings and striking out eight, allowing one run.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action in short time tomorrow when they host Plymouth State for a doubleheader at noon. The Huskies look to remain unbeaten in the LEC and extend their four-game winning streak at Rhode Island College tomorrow.
