Huskies at Saint Joseph's on Sunday (1:00 p.m.)

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- Junior southpaw Tyler Leavitt (North Andover, Mass.) equaled his career high with 11 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings to help the University of Southern Maine salvage a split of its Little East Conference baseball doubleheader Saturday against Plymouth State University.  The Panthers won the opening game 6-4 before the Huskies came back to take the nightcap 8-1.

            The split leaves the Huskies at 18-8 overall and in a three-way tie for first place in the Little East with a 6-3 mark.  The Panthers move to 9-17 overall and 2-7 in the conference. 

Game One

            The Panthers overcame a 3-0 deficit with a single run in the fifth and three runs in the sixth to take the lead, then added a pair of insurance markers in the seventh.

            Junior Sam Dexter (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee) gave USM a 2-0 lead in the first inning hitting his third home run of the season after classmate Nick DiBiase (Portland, Maine/Deering) walked to open the game.

            Dexter doubled and scored the Huskies' third run on sophomore Paul McDonough's (Wells, Maine) single in the third inning to make it 3-0.

            Junior Paul Reny (South Portland, Maine) delivered the Panthers first run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth frame.  The Panthers took advantage of two Husky miscues in the sixth to take the lead 4-3.  The first error loaded the bases and closed the book on USM junior starter and losing pitcher Shyler Scates (Jefferson, Maine/Erskine Academy).  Junior Justin Walsh (Goffstown, N.H./Bedford) greeted USM senior reliever Andrew Richards (South Portland, Maine) for an RBI single.  The Huskies second error of the inning delivered two more runs.

            Junior Jake Broom (New London, N.H./Kearsarge) tacked up a pair of unearned insurance runs in the seventh with a two-run double.

            USM got one run back in the eighth on a solo home run by sophomore Damon Wallace (Gorham, Maine).

            Senior right-hander Cody Gilchrist (Tyngsboro, Mass./Bishop Guertin) went the first eight innings for the Panthers to earn his third win of the season.  Senior Josh Young (Somersworth, N.H.) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his third save. 

Game Two

            Leavitt equaled his career high for strikeouts set earlier this season against Rhode Island College by punching out 11 Panthers.  The left-hander gave up six hits and one walk during his stint on the hill to collect his second win of the season.

            The Huskies broke open a scoreless game scoring all their runs in the middle three innings.  McDonough ignited a two-run inning in the fourth with a double, and had a two-run double in the Huskies' four-run fifth inning.

            Senior Dylan Morris (Bangor, Maine) and rookie Brandon Martins (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) delivered runs in the sixth inning to make it 8-0.

            The Panthers finally got to Leavitt with two outs in the eighth inning as rookie Luke Mancini (Scotia, N.Y./Scotia-Glenville) singled and scored on a double off the bat of junior Dave Hall (Groton, Conn./Fitch).

            McDonough and sophomore Matt Bender (Walpole, Mass.) had a pair of hits for the Huskies in the nightcap.  Junior Dan Armstrong (Danville, N.H./Timberlane) was the lone repeat hitter for the Panthers with a pair of singles. 

Up Next

            The Huskies are back in action tomorrow afternoon playing at local rival Saint Joseph's College.  The Panthers will host a non-conference doubleheader against Daniel Webster College tomorrow (1:00 p.m.).

-ble-