Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Junior Matthew Paola (Middlebury, Conn./Pomperaug) hit an RBI single through the left side in the top of the 11th inning and classmate Nick Quattro (Canton, Conn.) fired 1.2 innings of scoreless relief to lead the Endicott College Gulls to a 2-1 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a non-conference baseball game between two of the top teams in New England Wednesday afternoon at the USM Baseball Stadium. The Huskies, ranked 20th-nationally, are ranked second in the latest New England Baseball poll, while the Gulls are ranked fifth.
Earning its second extra-inning win of the season, Endicott improves to 17-10. Southern Maine, which had its seven-game win streak halted by the Gulls, falls to 16-7. Southern Maine and Endicott, who have faced each other in the 2013 and 2014 NCAA Division III New England Regional Finals, are 1-1 on the season with the Huskies taking a 4-2 win in March.
In an excellent pitchers' duel, Endicott took the upper hand on the Huskies in the top of the fourth inning as junior Nicholas De Lotto (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) put his team ahead 1-0 on a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring junior Anthony Serina (Portsmouth, R.I). Serina set up the Gulls' rally with a one-out double to right field and advance to third on a wild pitch.
Endicott starter freshman Owen Bautze (Sudbury, Mass./Lincoln-Sudbury) kept the Huskies' bats in check and allowed just three hits through eight innings before being touched up for the game-tying run in the ninth, forcing extra innings. Bautze, seemingly on his way to a complete game victory, retired the Huskies' first two batters before yielding a two-out single to USM sophomore Damon Wallace (Gorham, Maine). With two down and a runner on, Huskies' senior Brendon Joyce (Standish, Maine/Gorham) drove in the equalizer dropping a double into the right field gap to plate Wallace while advancing to third on a throwing error. Bautze ended the Huskies' rally collecting his sixth strikeout of the game.
Both teams were scoreless in the 10th. USM senior Andrew Richards (South Portland, Maine), who entered the game in the seventh inning, retired the Gulls in order on a ground out and two strikeouts. In the bottom half of the 10th, after a one-out single was issued to USM junior Nick DiBiase (Portland, Maine/Deering) by Gull reliever sophomore Eric Nagle (Manchester, Conn.), Quattro entered the game. Quattro got the Huskies' next two batters on a ground out and a sharply hit line out to left field to send the game to the 11th inning.
The Gulls opened the 11th with back-to-back singles from freshman Michael DeDonato (Chelmsford, Mass.) and senior Harry Oringer (Dartmouth, Mass./Coyle Cassidy). Huskies' junior Sam Dexter (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee) cut down DeDonato on nifty a fielder's choice back-handed toss to third base, making it runners on first and second with one down for Paola. With runners in scoring position, Paolo collected his first hit of the game with a single through the left side to put the Gulls up 2-1 over the Huskies.
Richards got the second out on an infield pop up, before allowing an infield single to load the bases. The Gulls' next batter junior Josh Drew (Intervale, N.H.) hit a sharply played ball into the left-center gap, but USM freshman Devin Warren (Smithfield, Maine/Messalonskee) made a diving catch to rob Endicott of three runs to end the threat.
Holding onto the 2-1 lead, Quattro worked his way around a single base runner for USM to retire the side and earn his sixth victory of the season. Quattro earned the win pitching 1.2 innings without yielding a hit while striking out two. Bauzte took the no decision allowing one earned fun on five hits and two walks in 9.0 innings. Bauzte struck out six. Nagle recorded 0.1 innings of work allowing one hit for the Gulls.
Sophomore Nick George (Peabody, Mass./Malden Catholic) took the no decision, allowing one earned run on four hits and a walk. George picked up five strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched. Andrews (7-3) took the loss allowing one earned run on five hits in 4.0 innings. He had three strikeouts.
Southern Maine travels to Babson College on Thursday (3:30 p.m.) for a non-conference game. Endicott hosts Salem State in a non-conference match up on Thursday (3:30).
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