GORHAM, Maine – Junior Joshua Joy (Smithfield, Maine/Messalonskee) pitched six strong innings and classmate Sam Troiano (South Portland, Maine) went 3 for 4, including a home run, with three RBI as the second-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated third-seeded Rhode Island College 12-1 in seven innings Saturday afternoon at Ed Flaherty Field.
            The win sends the Huskies on to the best-of-three championship series at top-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University.  The series begins Thursday (May 20) with a doubleheader.  If the teams split the two games, the decisive third game will be played on Saturday.  The winner will receive the automatic berth into the 2021 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship Tournament.
            After surrendering a first-inning run, Joy settled down to shut down the Anchormen bats allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out three.  The win improved Joy's record to 4-3 on the season.  Rookie Bryce Afthim (Windham, Maine) retired the side in order in the seventh to end the game on the 10-run rule.
            Troiano dispatched the Huskies one-run deficit in the home half of the first with his ninth home run of the season to straight away center field.  The Huskies added two more runs on back-to-back RBI singles from rookie Janek Luksza (South Paris, Maine) and sophomore Arlo Pike (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle).
            Southern Maine scored a pair of runs in the second frame on senior Andrew Hillier's (Bangor, Maine) two-run single, and three more in the third on back-to-back RBI singles from freshman Cam Seymour (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) and Troiano.  Seymour scored the third run on a wild pitch.
            The Huskies put the 10-run rule into play with four runs in the fifth inning to make it 12-1.  Troiano drove in the first run with a double that ricocheted into short left field off the foot of the RIC pitcher.  After an intentional pass to Hillier, a balk brought Seymour home from third.  Senior Andrew Olszak (Danvers, Mass.) then stroked a triple to right center to chase home Troiano and Hillier.
            USM had 12 hits off three RIC hurlers and benefited from seven walks.  Sophomore Tom Vesosky (Colchester, Vt.) and Seymour joined Troiano in the repeat hitter column as each had two hits and scored three times.  Hillier and Olszak also had a pair of RBI.
            Senior Ray Zincone (West Warwick, R.I.) had a double to drive in the lone Anchormen run in the first.  Junior Nick D'Ambra (Coventry, R.I.) had the other RIC base hit, a single in the sixth inning.  Sophomore Connor Davey (Cheshire, Conn.) started on the hill for the Anchormen and was saddled with the loss.
            Rhode Island College earned the right to play Southern Maine by defeating sixth-seeded Castleton University in an elimination game, 13-4.  Senior Nate Vigeant (Coventry, R.I./St. Raphael Academy) went 4-4 with three runs scored and two RBI.  Sophomore Jarrod Grossguth (Coventry, R.I.) had three hits, including a two-run homer in the first inning.  Rookie Andrew Sears (West Warwick, R.I.) earned the win going six innings.
 
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