HARTFORD, Conn. – The top-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies pounded out 21 hits to score 17 runs and defeat the sixth-seeded Johnson and Wales University Wildcats 17-2 in the opening game of the 2021 NCAA Division III Baseball Hartford Region Tournament Thursday at DiBenedetto Stadium.  The regional is being hosted at Trinity College.
            The Huskies, 32-9 on the season, will move into Game Five (2:30 p.m.) on Friday against the losing team from the game between Wheaton College and Salve Regina University later today.  The Wildcats, now 13-15 overall, will play in Game Four on Friday (11:00 a.m.) against the losing team from the game between second-seeded SUNY-Oswego and fifth-seeded Husson University.
            Senior Andrew Hillier (Bangor, Maine) led the Huskies' offense going 3-for-4, including a double and home run, with a season-high six RBI.  Sophomore Tom Vesosky (Colchester, Vt.), rookie Cam Seymour (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy), and seniors Andrew Olszak (Danvers, Mass.) and Dylan Hapworth (Winslow, Maine) all had three hits.  Every starter in the Huskies' lineup had at least one hit.
            Senior right-hander Ben Lambert (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) was the beneficiary of the Huskies' offensive outburst.  Lambert picked up his seventh win of the season, and the 21st of his career, going the first five innings.  He gave up one run on two hits while walking one and striking out 10.
            Sophomore Griffin Snyder (Marietta, Ga.) touched Lambert for a run in the fifth inning with his first home run of the season.  Snyder would go 2-for-2 after coming on as a substitute.  Senior Armani Henderson (Johnston, R.I./LaSalle Academy) also had two hits with the Wildcats.  Senior Ryan Depatie (Pawtucket, R.I./Tolman) started on the hill for the Wildcats and took the loss.
            The Huskies jumped on Depatie for four runs in the second inning.  Junior Brogan Searle-Belanger (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) drove in the first two runs with a single.  Hillier brought in two more with a sacrifice fly when the JWU outfielder made the catch and ran into the fence.
            Seven more runs crossed the plate as the Huskies sent 11 men to bat in the third inning, highlighted by Hillier's three-run homer.  Searle-Belanger picked up his third RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly.  Juniors Jason Komulainen (Gorham, Maine) and Sam Troiano (South Portland, Maine) and Seymour also had RBI base hits.
            Hillier drove in his sixth run of the day to equal his career high with a single in the seventh.  Troiano picked up another RBI with a double.
            The Huskies tacked on four runs in the eighth on a double by Komulainen, an infield error, a double from Seymour and an RBI single from Olszak.
   
Thursday, Mary 27

Game 1	#1 Southern Maine 17,  #6 Johnson and Wales  2
Game 2	#2 SUNY Oswego 17,  #5 Husson  5
Game 3	#3 Wheaton 5,  #4 Salve Regina  4

 
Friday, May 28

Game 4	Johnson & Wales vs. Husson	9:30 a.m.
Game 5	Salve Regina vs. Southern Maine	1:00 p.m.
Game 6	SUNY Oswego vs. Wheaton	4:30 p.m.

 
Saturday, May 29
Schedule to be announced depending on number teams remaining
 
Sunday, May 30
Schedule to be announced depending on number teams remaining