GORHAM, Maine   – Sophomore Bryce Afthim (Windham, Maine) threw nine strong innings and the University of Southern Maine Huskies pounded out 15 hits to earn a 5-2 win over the Rhode Island College Anchormen in game two of a Little East Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Ed Flaherty Field.
 
Playing in their home opening games, the Huskies fell to RIC 6-0 in the opener.  Afthim earned the complete game win, holding RIC to just two runs on eight hits and striking out a season and career-high 10.  The Huskies are 2-2 in the Little East with the split. 
 
THE BASICS:
Records:
Rhode Island College (11-6-1, 3-1 LEC)
Southern Maine (5-12, 2-2 LEC)
 
Score: 
Game 1: Rhode Island College 6, Southern Maine 0
Game 2: Southern Maine 5, Rhode Island College 2
 
Game One Pitching: RIC 6, USM 0
Winning Pitcher: RIC, Andrew Sears (4-1), 8.0 IP, 0 runs, 2 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: SM, Joshua Joy (1-3) 6.0 IP, 4 runs, 9 hits, 6 walks, 6 strikeouts
 
Game Two Pitching: USM 5, RIC 2
Winning Pitcher: SM, Bryce Afthim (3-1), 9.0 IP, 2 runs, 8 hits, 1 walks, 10 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: RIC, Terry Murray (2-1), 5.0 IP,5 rusn, 10 hits, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
 
 
GAME 1 - HOW IT HAPPENED:

• RIC sophomore starter Andrew Sears (West Warwick, R.I.) earned the win on the mound for the Anchormen allowing just two hits and not giving up a run in eight innings of work.  Striking out 12, Sears improved to 4-1 on the season.  Freshman Nolan Potter (Pawtucket, R.I.) pitched the final inning for RIC, picking up two strikeouts.
• Scoreless after two innings, RIC scored a run in the third and fourth inning to jump ahead of USM. Sophomore Cal Parillo (Greenville, R.I.) had an RBI single to left in the third, while freshman Lucas Pierce (Chepachet, R.I.) had an RBI double down the right field line in the fourth.
• Freshman Daniel Trzepacz (Mount Vernon, N.H.) doubled RIC's lead to 4-0 with a two-run double in the sixth. RIC made it 6-0 in the eight, scoring its first run of the inning on an error before senior Jarrud Grossguth (Coventry, R.I.) drove in the final run of the game with a single through the right side.
• USM senior starter Joshua Joy (Smithfield, Maine/Messalonskee) had six strikeouts in six innings of work, allowing four runs on nine hits. Sophomore Lucas Francis (Lisbon, Maine) closed out the game for USM, pitching the final three innings  allowing two runs (unearned) on two hits and a walk. He struckout three.
• Senior Brogan Searle-Belanger (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) and sophomore Janek Luksza (South Paris, Maine/Oxford Hills) each had single for the Huskies.  Luksza also had a stolen base.

 
GAME 2 - HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Striking out a career-high 10, Afthim picked up his third win of the season for the Huskies.  Afthim kept RIC off of the board until the ninth to earn the complete game victory.
• Junior designated hitter Arlo Pike (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) was 4-for-4 at the plate with two RBI to help USM to a 15-hit performance. Junior Jonathan Wilson (East Granby, Conn.) was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while senior Jason Komulainen (Gorham, Maine), freshman Zach Mooers (Winchester, N.H./Keene) and Searle-Belanger each collected two hits.
• After a scoreless three and half innings, Southern Maine scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to get ahead of RIC. With one out, Komulainen and Wilson hit back-to-back singles before Pike followed with a single up the middle for a 1-0 USM lead.  Searle-Belanger single through the left side to load the bases before Mooers drove in a run being hit by a pitch.  Sophomore Jack LeBlond (Lewiston, Maine/Bridgton Academy) made it 3-0 with an RIB fielder's choice grounder before the Huskies were retired.
• USM led 5-0 after the fifth on an RBI single from Wilson and an RBI double from Pike. 
• With Afthim controlling the mound, the score remained unchanged until the top of the ninth. Afthim received strong support from his defense in the as the Huskies infield turned a double play third-to-second-to first to close out the inning with a runner on.
• In the ninth, RIC took back two runs from the Huskies. Sophomore Cal Parrillo (Greenville, R.I.) led off the inning with a double, and Grossguth skyed a two-run home run to left field to make it a 5-2 game.  After the home run, Afthim settled and retired the next three batters in order to seal the win.

 
UP NEXT:
Southern Maine remains at home and will host non-conference opponent Wheaton College (Mass.) on Sunday (1:00 pm) at Ed Flaherty Field.