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Jason Komulainen
7
Winner Southern Maine HUSKIES 1-0
5
Johns Hopkins JHU 3-2
Winner
Southern Maine HUSKIES
1-0
7
Final
5
Johns Hopkins JHU
3-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Southern Maine HUSKIES 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 2 7 12 2
Johns Hopkins JHU 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 8 0

W: Afthim, Bryce (1-0) L: Hyunwoo Roh (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

No. 13 Huskies Rally to Defeat No. 4/5 Johns Hopkins 7-5 in 10 Innings

Komulainen, Pike & Searle-Belanger Each Hit Home Runs

BALTIMORE, Maryland – The-13th ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies baseball team overcame a 5-1 deficit, rallying to score six runs in the final four innings of the game, and defeat the No. 4/5 Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays in the Huskies' 2022 season-opener.
 
Senior Jason Komulainen (Gorham, Maine) was 3-for-5 at the plate with three RBI and one run scored, while senior Brogan Searle-Belanger (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) hit a game-tying home run in the top of the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Sophomore Bryce Afthim (Windham, Maine) earned the win in relief.
 
THE BASICS:
Records:
No. 13 Southern Maine (1-0)
No. 4/5 Johnson Hopkins (3-2)
 
Score: 
Southern Maine 7, Johns Hopkins 5 – 10 innings
 
Pitching:
Winning Pitcher: SM, Bryce Afthim (1-0) – 3.0 IP, 0 earned runs, 4 strikeouts, 1walk, 2 hits
Losing Pitcher: JHU, Hyunwoo Roh (0-1) – 2.0 IP, 3 earned runs, 2 strikeouts, 1 walk, 3 hits
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
  • Led by RBI doubles to left from senior Jared deFaria (Weston, Fla.), graduate student Sam Browning (Las Vegas, Nev.) and an RBI single from sophomore Tripp Myers (Towson, Md.), Johns Hopkins jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first.  The Blue Jays had four hits in their opening at bat, and took advantage of a pair of Husky fielding errors.
  • Husky senior Jason Komulainen (Gorham, Maine) cut USM's deficit to 4-1 in the top of the second with an RBI single through the left side, but JHU led the Huskies 5-1 through five innings. Husky starter Joshua Joy (Smithfield, Maine/Messalonskee) completed the fifth inning and was lifted in favor of sophomore Wyatt Williamson (Bryant Pond, Maine/Oxford Hills).  After the first inning, Joy settled in and allowed just two hits and one earned run.
  • Both teams went down in order in the sixth and the game remained 5-1 in favor of the Blue Jays headed to the top of the seventh. Komulainen came through again for USM making it a 5-2 contest with a solo shot to left field.  In the home half of the inning, Wiiliamson worked his way around a walk to keep JHU off of the scoreboard.
  • USM continued to chip away in the eighth scoring two more runs to make it a 5-4 game. Junior Arlo Pike (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) hit a home run to right field to make it 5-3, before Komulainen picked up his third RBI of the game with a single to center to score freshman Zach Mooers (Winchester, N.H./Keene).
  • Sophomore Bryce Afthim (Windham, Maine) came on to start the bottom of the eight for the Huskies and struck out his first two batters faced and worked around a walk to retire the JHU side heading into the ninth.
  • The Huskies tied the game up in the ninth with a one-out home run from senior Brogan Searle-Belanger (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy), and Afthim pitched a strong bottom half of the inning, again striking out two, to send the game to extra innings.
  • Pike led off the 10th with a walk and moved to third on a double down the left field line from sophomore Jonathan Wilson (East Granby, Conn./East Grandy).  After a ground out, USM loaded the bases as Mooers struck out but reached the open base on a wild pitch.  USM went ahead 7-5 on back-to-back RBI walks issued to sophomore Jack Leblond (Lewiston, Maine/Bridgton Academy) and Searle-Belanger.
  • Afthim picked up the win for the Huskies working around a pair of singles in the 10th for the 7-5 Husky comeback win.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
  • Searle-Belanger's game-tying home run is the first home run of his career.  Searle-Belanger had two RBI, including the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th.
  • Komulainen finished with three RBI and was 3-for-5 at the plate with one run scored.
  • Husky starting pitcher senior Joshua Joy (Smithfield, Maine/Messalonskee) allowed three earned runs (five total) on six hits and a walk. He struck out eight.  Joy struck out eight in his first appearance of the 2021 season, and has a career-high of 11 strikeouts.
  • Williamson pitched two strong innings in relief. He did not give up a hit or a run, striking out one and walking one for USM.
  • Pike and Wilson each had two hits. Pike was 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored, while Wilson was 2-for-4 with three runs scored.  
 
UP NEXT:
The Huskies return to action on Saturday for two games.  Southern Maine will face No. 1/8 Salisbury at 12 pm, and then take on No. 4/5 Johns Hopkins at 3:30 pm.
 
-cac-
 
 
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