Southern Maine, Colby Split Doubleheader

            WATERVILLE, Maine -- Senior Andrew Richards (South Portland, Maine) earned his ninth win of the season with a seven-inning complete game as the University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the Colby College Mules 6-2 in the second game of a non-conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Coombs Field.

            Colby earned its 20th win of the season winning the first game 11-3.  The split gives the Huskies a 27-12 record to finish the regular season.  The Mules, who finish the season with a doubleheader against Amherst College on Sunday, are 20-12 on the season. 

Game One

            After the Huskies took a 1-0 lead on a triple by junior Nick DiBiase (Portland, Maine/Deering) and a sacrifice fly by junior Sam Dexter (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee), the Mules jumped on USM sophomore starter Zack Bean (Westbrook, Maine) for five runs in the first inning.  Junior Tommy Forese (New Canaan, Conn./St. Luke's School) hit a three-run homer, and senior Tim Corey (Framingham, Mass./Worcester Academy) and sophomore Ryder Arsenault (New Hampton, N.H./New Hampton School) had RBI singles that ended Bean's day on the hill.

            Southern Maine struck back for two runs in the fourth inning on an RBI ground out by sophomore Matt Bender (Walpole, Mass.) and an RBI single by rookie Devin Warren (Smithfield, Maine/Messalonskee).

            Colby responded with three runs in its turn at bat to take an 8-3 lead.  Junior Soren Hanson (Billerica, Mass./Belmont Hill) had an RBI single, and Corey followed with a two-run double.

            Colby put the game away with three runs in the sixth inning.  Junior Benjamin Crocker (Hallowell, Maine/Hall-Dale) produced the first run with an RBI single, and Arsenault followed with a two-run double.

            Forese, Corey and Arsenault had three RBI apiece for the Mules.  Senior Jason Buco (Methuen, Mass./Phillips Academy), Corey and Arsenault had two hits apiece to pace the Mules' 12-hit attack.  Hanson pitched the first six innings to earn his fifth win of the season against one loss.  Hanson allowed three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out seven.

            Bean suffered his fourth loss of the season. 

Game Two

            Richards, making his first start of the season after 26 relief appearances, went the distance allowing two runs on seven hits and three walks.  He struck out seven.

            The Mules took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Buco, the leadoff hitter, took Richards deep for his sixth home run of the season.

            Southern Maine took the lead for good in the second inning as Bender forced home a run when he walked with the bases loaded, and Dexter forced home the second run when he was hit by a pitch.

            The Huskies added a single marker in the third when senior Brendon Joyce (Standish, Maine/Gorham) scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Damon Wallace (Gorham, Maine).

            In the fifth inning, Warren had an RBI single and later scored on an infield miscue to push the lead to 5-1.  Warren drove in the Huskies' final run in with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

            Colby reached Richards for a single run in the seventh on Buco's sacrifice fly.

            Warren went 2 for 2 with two RBI for Huskies who were held to five hits in the game.  The Huskies also received six walks and three hit batsmen, and benefitted from three Colby errors. 

Up Next

            Southern Maine will be the top seed and host the six-team, double-elimination Little East Conference championship tournament that begins Wednesday.  USM will face sixth-seeded Western Connecticut State University in the opening game.

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