WALTHAM, Mass. -- Freshman Taylor Kapulka's (Worcester, Mass./Holy Name) squeeze bunt in the fifth inning brought home junior Mark McCormack (Shelton, Conn.) with what proved to be the winning run as the University of Massachusetts Boston defeated the University of Southern Maine, 2-1, Tuesday night in a Little East Conference game at Yetten Field.

            The loss was the fourth straight for the Huskies who fall to 11-10 overall and 2-3 in conference play.  The Beacons, the defending LEC champion, improved to 8-12 overall and 3-2 in LEC play.

            The game was a pitchers duel between USM senior Ben Ives (Portland, Maine/Deering) and UMB rookie Lucas Ilges (Gloucester, Mass.).  Ives would go the distance allowing only four hits and three walks while striking out a career-high 13.  Ilges went seven innings giving up five hits and one walk while fanning six.  Sophomore Daniel Heefner (Tracy, Calif.) came on to retire the side in the eighth and ninth innings to earn his first save of the season.

            Tied 1-1 in the fifth, McCormack singled to right field, and stole second.  After a walk to senior Ryan Walsh (Newton, Mass./Newton North), McCormack and Walsh stole second and third.  An intentional walk to senior Connor Reinfurt (Manchester, N.H./Northfield Mt. Hermon) loaded the bases, setting the stage for Kapulka to drop down a squeeze bunt scoring McCormack.

            The Huskies got a runner to third with two outs in the seventh, but Ilges finished his night getting a strikeout to end the inning.

            The Beacons took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when sophomore Nick Grassetti (Agawam, Mass.) walked, stole second (one of the seven stolen bases by the Beacons), moved to third on a ground out, and scored on sophomore Matt Consiglio's (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) double.

            The Huskies came right back to tie the game in the third junior David Ricker (Winthrop, Maine) walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on freshman Matt Powers' (Portland, Maine/Deering) single.

            Southern Maine is scheduled to host Colby College on Wednesday (4:00 p.m.).  UMass Boston is slated to play at Babson College on Wednesday (3:00 p.m.).

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