(with contributions from UMass Boston Sports Information)

#23 Southern Maine Falls to #5 UMass Boston in 11 Innings 4-3

            BOSTON -- Senior Sal Frosceno (Derby, Conn.) delivered the game-winning run with a two-out single in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the University of Massachusetts Boston Beacons a 4-3 victory over the visiting University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference baseball game Tuesday afternoon at Monan Park.

            The win was the 12th straight for the #5/#6 ranked Beacons who improved to 23-5 overall and remain unbeaten in Little East Conference play at 7-0.  The #23/#28 Huskies had their nine-game winning streak stopped by the loss and fall to 16-7 overall and 5-2 in the conference.  UMB and USM were ranked one-two respectively in this week's NEIBA Division III poll.

            In the home half of the 11th, sophomore Dan Brown (Hudson, N.H.) singled off USM junior reliever Jake Dexter (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee) with two outs and stole second to set the stage for Frosceno.  Frosceno delivered a single through the left side and Brown beat the throw to the plate for the winning run.

            USM built a 2-0 lead over its first six turns at bat with single runs in the fourth and sixth innings.  In the fourth, sophomore Andrew Hillier (Bangor, Maine) led off the frame with a triple and scored on sophomore Andrew Olszak's (Danvers, Mass.) ground out.  Hillier delivered the Huskies' run in the sixth inning with a one-out double to score classmate Dylan Hapworth (Winslow, Maine).

            The Beacons finally reached USM sophomore starter Ben Lambert (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) for three runs in the home half of the sixth to take a 3-2 lead.  Over the first five frames, Lambert had limited the Beacons to just one hit and struck out eight.

            Junior Charlie Huegi (Sandy Hook, Conn.) opened the inning with a bloop double to center.  Junior Eddie Riley (Quincy, Mass.) followed with a ground-ball double past third base that easily scored Huegi.  Lambert walked the next two batters to load the bases and senior Chris Fowler (Barnstable, Mass.) followed with a deep sacrifice fly to the triangle in right-center to tie the game.

            With two outs and the runners still at first and second, junior Kyle Boudrias (Medford, Mass.) singled through the left side and sophomore Ryan McCormick (Cumberland, R.I.) beat the throw home for a 3-2 edge.

            The Huskies came back to tie the game in the eighth inning to force extra innings.  Hapworth opened the inning by being hit by a pitch and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Hillier tied the game with his third hit, a line-drive RBI single.

            Hillier went 3 for 4 with two RBI in the game and was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.  Hapworth was 2 for 4 and scored two runs.  Dexter, who went 3.2 innings, was tagged with the loss.  Lambert went seven innings allowing three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out a season-high 10 batters.

            Riley and Boudrias had two hits apiece for the Beacons.  Junior Bobby Tramondozzi (Peabody, Mass.) earned the win hurling 3.1 innings of shutout relief.

            Southern Maine looks to bounce back tomorrow afternoon (3:30 p.m.) hosting Endicott College.  Endicott is ranked third in the NEIBA poll.  UMass Boston hosts Salem State University on Wednesday (3 p.m.).

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