Southern Maine, Western Connecticut Split Doubleheader

            GORHAM, Maine -- Junior Matt Bender (Walpole, Mass.) beat out a two-out bunt single in the bottom of the ninth as the winning run scored to give the University of Southern Maine Huskies a 3-2, come-from-behind victory over the visiting Western Connecticut State University Colonials in the nightcap of the teams' Little East Conference doubleheader Saturday at the USM Baseball Stadium.

            In the opening game, the Colonials bunched together five hits, a sacrifice bunt and a sac fly to score four times in the fifth inning, then held off the Huskies for a 4-3 victory that snapped the Huskies' nine-game winning streak.

            The split leaves the Huskies at 17-7 overall and 5-1 in LEC play heading into a game tomorrow afternoon (1:00 p.m.) against Wheaton College.  The Colonials now stand 10-11 overall and 3-3 in the conference.  The Colonials will travel to Vassar College on Sunday (1:00 p.m.) for a doubleheader. 

Game One

            Trailing 1-0 heading into the fifth inning, the Colonials scored four times to take the lead for good.  Sophomore Bill Buscetto (Old Lyme, Conn./Lyme-Old Lyme) started the inning with a double to right field, and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior Bryan Harper (Ledyard, Conn./St. Bernard's).  Sophomore Joe Daigle (Southington, Conn.) singled through the left side to deliver Buscetto with the tying run.  Daigle stole second, and advanced to third when senior John Kelly (Stratford, Conn./Bunnell) reached first after striking out on a wild pitch.

            Junior EJ Lavoie (East Granby, Conn.) gave the Colonials the lead with a single that plated Daigle.  Senior Chris Callahan (Southington, Conn./Holy Cross) singled to load the bases before classmate Matt Greene (New London, Conn.) singled home Kelly.  A sacrifice fly from junior Frank Vartuli (Westport, Conn./Staples) brought Lavoie home with the fourth run.

            Southern Maine got one back in its half of the frame as senior Nick DiBiase (Portland, Maine/Deering) led off with a double and came around to score on two ground ball outs.

            The Huskies made it a one-run game in the eighth as junior Paul McDonough (Wells, Maine) scored when the Colonials threw the ball away trying to turn a double play.  That would be it for the Huskies as WC senior starter Craig Frobel (Southington, Conn.) and senior reliever Edgard Santiago (New London, Conn.) retired the next five batters, four via the strikeout.

            Callahan paced the Colonials' 11-hit attack with a double and two singles.  Kelly, Buscetto and Daigle had two hits apiece.  Frobel went eight innings allowing three runs (one earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out seven to improve his record to 3-1.  Santiago retired the side in order in the ninth to record his first save of the season.  

            DiBiase was the lone repeat hitter for the Huskies.  Senior right-hander Shyler Scates (Jefferson, Maine/Erskine Academy) suffered his first setback of the season against five wins.  Scates went 7 1/3 innings allowing four runs on 10 hits and one walk.  He fanned five. 

Game Two

            The nightcap was a pitchers duel between USM rookie right-hander Dalton Rice (Waterford, Maine/Oxford Hills) and WC senior righty Todd Lyons (Norwalk, Conn./Brien McMahon).  The duo posted zero after zero through seven innings with Rice taking a no-hit bid into the eighth inning, and Lyons allowing only one hit over the first seven innings.

            The Colonials took a 2-0 lead scoring twice in the eighth.  Rice lost his no-hit bid when senior Nick Delotto (Southbury, Conn./Pomperauq) opened the eighth with a single.  Delotto stole second and went to third on a throwing error.  Buscetto walked to put runners at the corners and end Rice's day on the hill.  Rookie reliever Jake Dexter (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee) replaced Rice on the hill and got the first out before Daigle delivered a two-run single down the right field line.  Dexter was able to escape further damage.

            Lyons left after eight innings, but the Colonial bullpen could not hold the lead in the ninth.  McDonough led off with a single off rookie Taylor Donofrio (Terryville, Conn.), and went all the way to third on an errant pickoff attempt.  Senior Sam Dexter (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee), who had his 22-game hitting streak snapped in the nightcap, reached first after striking out when the throw to first was dropped for an error.

            Santiago came on and surrendered a sacrifice fly to sophomore Sam Stauble (Harrison, Maine/Bridgton Academy).  Senior Jake Glauser (Goffstown, N.H.) worked a walk moving Dexter to second.  Sophomore Brandon Martins (Manorville, N.Y.) laced a double off the glove of the diving third baseman to score Dexter and put runners at second and third.

            After Santiago got a strikeout, Bender laid a perfect bunt down the third base line and beat the throw to first as Glauser crossed home plate with the winning run.

            Dexter picked up his fourth win of the season without a loss pitching two scoreless innings.  Santiago took his first loss against two wins.  Bender was the lone repeat hitter in the game with two singles. 

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