BANGOR, Maine  –   Senior Ben Lambert (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) and junior Joshua Joy (Smithfield, Maine/Messalonskee) each turned in strong performances on the mound to lead the no. 11 University of Southern Maine Huskies to a non-conference doubleheader sweep of the Husson University Eagles Saturday afternoon at the Winkin Complex.
            With each team playing in its 2021 season-opening games, Southern Maine starts its season at 2-0.  The Eagles are 0-2. 
            Lambert, a 2019 ABCA second team All-American, picked up his first win of the season firing five scoreless innings.  Striking out nine, Lambert allowed just two hits and two walks for the season-opening win. Husson starter senior Cam Graham (Littleton, Maine/Houlton) was saddled with the loss allowing seven runs (two earned) on three hits and five walks in 2.1 innings.  In game two, Joy earned the win tossing six scoreless innings, yielding just one hit, while fanning eight.
 
GAME 1: Southern Maine 16, Husson 6

• With Lambert controlling the mound, the Huskies pounded out 12 hits and scored 16 runs to open the 2021 season with a statement. Senior Andrew Olszak (Danvers, Mass.) , junior Sam Troiano (South Portland, Maine), sophomore Jonathan Wilson (East Granby, Conn.) and freshman Cam Seymour (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) each had two hits for the Huskies.
• Wilson went 2-for-4 at the plate with five RBI and three runs scored.  Wilson snapped his first home run of the season with a three-run shot to left field as part of a five-run fourth inning
• The Huskies scored in bunches, scoring six runs in the third, five in the fifth and three in the fifth.  USM added a single run in the first and in the eighth for the 16-run total.
• Troiano, who finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate, with two runs scored drove in the Huskies' first run of the game with a first-inning double down the left field line.
• USM led Husson 15-0 through five full, and did not yield a run to the Eagles until the bottom of the sixth, and allowed five more in the bottom of the ninth.  Junior Kobe Rogerson (Brewer, Maine) drove in a run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases full, seniors David LeBlanc (Beaumont, Alberta, Canada) and Chris Ewanik (Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada) each had two-run hits with LeBlanc singling in two runs and Ewanik doubling in two more.

 
GAME 2: Southern Maine 5, Husson 2

• Joy continued the Huskies' strong pitching performance with his start in game two, coming out on top of a pitchers' duel.
• With both teams scoreless through four innings, the Huskies scored first in the top of the fifth.  Troiano put himself in scoring position with a lead off double, and then stole third.  Wilson picked up his sixth RBI of the day connecting on a sacrifice fly to center field to score Troiano.
• After allowing two base runners to start the bottom of the fifth, Joy worked his way out of a jam, getting back-to-back strikeouts and a line out to center to end the inning.
• USM added three more runs in the top of the sixth on three hits and an Eagles error.  Junior Jason Komulainen started the inning for the Huskies with a solo home run down the left field line to double USM's lead 2-0.  A single through the left side from senior Andrew Hillier (Bangor, Maine) and a double to left center from senior Dylan Hapworth made it 3-0, before Hapworth came around to touch home plate on an infield throwing error for the 4-0 advantage.
• After a scoreless seventh, Husson halved its deficit with two runs in the bottom of the eight to make it a game at 4-2.   Leblanc and Ewanik continued to generate offense for the Eagles.  LeBlanc had an RBI double to right, while Ewanik drove in LeBlanc with an RBI single to left. 
• USM took a run back in the top of the ninth, as Seymour doubled in Troiano and senior Gavin Arsenault (Dixfield, Maine/Dirigo) pitched a 1-2-3 bottom half of the inning with three consecutive ground outs to third to close out the game.

 
Inside The Stats

• Wilson finished the doubleheader with six RBI, while Seymour had four.  Wilson, Seymour and Komulainen each had homeruns for the Huskies.
• The Huskies combined for 17 hits over two games. Troiano and Seymour led the way with three hits each. Troiano had two doubles. 
• Hapworth also had a pair of doubles for the Huskies, finishing the day 2-for-8 at the plate with five runs scored.

 
UP NEXT:
            Both Southern Maine and Husson will meet again on Sunday (12:00 pm) for another non-conference doubleheader.  USM opens its Little East Conference schedule on Friday, March 26 (12:00 pm).