MANSFIELD, Conn. -- Senior Andrew Dewing (Swampscott, Mass.) went 2 for 4 with three RBI to lead the top-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors to a 6-5 victory over the fifth-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies in Game Eight of the 2011 Little East Conference Championship Tournament being played at the ECSU Baseball Stadium.

            The win moves the Warriors (31-10) into another elimination game tonight (7:20 p.m.) against fourth-seeded Keene State College (29-13).  The winner of tonight's game will face sixth-seeded Rhode Island College (20-18), the only remaining unbeaten team in the tournament, in the championship round on Saturday.

            Southern Maine, the fifth seed in the tournament, finishes the season 22-19.

            Dewing had an RBI single in the second inning, an RBI single that put the Warriors ahead to stay in the third inning, and a bases loaded walk that forced home a run in the Warriors' four-run fourth inning.

            The Warriors received some strong relief pitching from junior Evan Chamberlain (Amston, Conn.) and sophomore Andrew Merritt (Norwalk, Conn.) over the final four innings.  Chamberlain, who picked up the win, went 1.1 innings allowing only one hit and one walk while Merritt went the final 2.2 innings surrendering only one walk to earn his second save.

            Senior Mike Eaton (Sabbatus, Maine/Oak Hill) went 2 for 2 with three walks (two intentional) and an RBI to lead the Huskies' attack.  Sophomore Tucker White (Deerfield, N.H./Coe-Brown Northwood) had two hits and two RBI.  Junior Dustin Stanton (Cornish, Maine/Sacopee Valley) turned in a brilliant relief performance going 5.2 shutout innings allowing only two hits.

            Southern Maine took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as freshman Forrest Chadwick (Gardiner, Maine) was hit by a pitch, junior Anthony Pisani (Cheshire, Conn.) singled and Eaton drove in Chadwick with a single.

            Dewing tied the game in the second inning driving home senior Tyler Turgeon (Norwich, Conn.) who had reached base on an outfield error.  Dewing gave the Warriors the lead for good in the third inning with a single that plated senior Shane Kingsley (Beacon Falls, Conn.).

            The Warriors reached USM sophomore starter Nick Douglass (Poland, Maine) for four runs in the fourth to increase the margin to 6-1.  Senior Jim Schult (Wappinger Falls, N.Y.) doubled home two runs before Dewing walked with the bases loaded to end Douglass' day.  Junior Steve Cammuso (Rutland, Mass.) was hit by a Stanton pitch with the bases loaded to bring home the fourth run.

            USM got one run back in the fourth as junior David Ricker (Winthrop, Maine) doubled, senior Jordan Berthiaume (Berlin, Conn.) singled moving Ricker to third, and freshman Troy Thibodeau (Danvers, Mass.) singled home Ricker.

            The Huskies scored three times in the fifth to close within one run.  Eaton doubled and scored when sophomore Nick Grady (Whitefield, Maine/Erskine Academy) tripled.  After a walk to senior Josh Mackey (Danvers, Mass.), White doubled to center field bringing both runners home.

            Southern Maine threatened in the sixth and seventh innings, but could not get a key base hit off of Chamberlain and Merritt.  Thibodeau was stranded at third in the sixth inning, and Mackey was cut down at the plate in the seventh on a fielder's choice.  Merritt came on to get the final two outs of the seventh, then cruised through the eighth and ninth innings.  Eaton was the only batter to reach base against Merritt drawing a two-out walk in the eighth.

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