GORHAM, Maine -- Junior David Ricker (Winthrop, Maine) stroked a one-out single to right field to deliver the University of Southern Maine a 6-5, 12-inning win over rival Saint Joseph's College (Maine) in a non-conference baseball game Wednesday at the USM Baseball Stadium.

            With the win, the Huskies improved to 14-13 overall.  The loss was the first in four games for the Monks who fall to 21-11.

            With the bases loaded and one out, Ricker collected his third hit of the day to grab the victory as the game was threatening to be called due to the encroaching darkness.

            With the scored tied 3-3 after five innings, both teams were kept off the scoreboard through the 10th inning.  The Monks struck for two runs in the top of the 11th inning reaching USM senior Mike Eaton (Sabattus, Maine/Oak Hill) for two hits, two walks and one hit batsmen.  Freshman Alex Lorenc (Nanuet, N.Y./Clarkstown South) drove in the first run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and sophomore Sam Butts (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) followed with an RBI bunt single.

            The Huskies rallied in the bottom half of the inning for two runs.  After giving up two base runners on a hits batsmen and a walk, Monk junior Andrew Devereaux (Hope Valley, R.I./Chariho) retired the next two batters before sophomore pinch hitter Brett Barrett (Keene, N.H.) delivered an RBI single through the right side.  Sophomore Tucker White (Deerfield, N.H./Coe-Brown Northwood) drove in the game-tying run with a single up the middle.

            In the top of the 12th, Eaton retired the Monks in order.  In the bottom of the 12th, back-to-back singles by senior Jordan Berthiaume (Berlin, Conn.) and junior Anthony Pisani (Cheshire, Conn.), and an intentional walk, loaded the bases to set the stage for Ricker.

            Eaton earned the win on the mound for the Huskies.  The senior southpaw pitched four innings allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks while picking up a pair of strikeouts.  Dion was tagged with the loss for the Monks. 

            St. Joseph's starter junior Chad Rafferty (Keene, N.H.) pitched well through eight innings for the Monks allowing three earned runs on five hits and four walks while striking out five.  Southern Maine sophomore starter Ryan Yates (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills) allowed three runs in five innings on nine hits and a walk.

            Southern Maine travels to Plymouth State University on Friday (1:00 p.m.) for a Little East Conference doubleheader.  St. Joseph's College travels to Anna Maria on Thursday (3:00 p.m.).

-cac-