GORHAM, Maine   – Junior Arlo Pike (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) was 2-for-4 at the plate with four RBI to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 14-2 win over the Husson University Eagles in a non-conference baseball game Tuesday afternoon at Ed Flaherty Field.
 
The Huskies pounded out 14 runs on 14 hits against Husson, and sophomore Matt Burnett (Ellsworth, Maine) pitched a solid 7.0 innings to earn the win, allowing two runs four hits and three walks while striking out five.
 
THE BASICS:
Records:
Husson University (7-11)
Southern Maine (7-12)
 
Score: 
Southern Maine 14, Husson University 2
 
Pitching: USM 14, Husson 2
Winning Pitcher: SM, Matt Burnett (2-0): 7.0 IP, 2 runs, 4 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: H, Cam Graham (2-3): 2.1 IP, 6 runs, 5 hits, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Husson struck first scoring the first two runs of the game to lead USM 2-0 after two and a half innings.  Eagles' junior Joshua Scott (Allen, Texas) had an RBI double in the first, while senior Kobe Rogerson (Brewer, Maine) had an RBI single in the third to lead Husson's offense.
• Down a pair of runs, the Huskies' bats came alive in the bottom of the third to score six runs on four hits, two hit by pitch plays and a walk.  Sophomore Lucas Francis (Libson, Maine) scored first leading off with a double and moving to third on a wild pitch before touching home on a sacrifice fly RBI from classmate Jack LeBlond (Lewiston, Maine/Bridgton Academy).
• Sophomore Cam Seymour (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) drove in the game tying run with an RBI single to left, scoring junior Tom Vesosky (Colchester, Vermont) who had a single following LeBlond's sac fly. After senior Jason Komulainen (Gorham, Maine) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Pike stepped in and launched a grand slam over center field to put USM up 6-2.
• Burnett struck out two in the top of the fourth to quickly retire the side, and he Huskies continued to roll in the bottom of the inning scoring six more runs to take a commanding 12-2 lead. Sophomore Janek Luksza (South Paris, Maine/Oxford Hills) had an RBI single to start the inning, while Komulainen drove in two with a single through the left side. Junior Jonathan Wilson (East Granby, Conn.) and LeBlond each had an RBI in the inning on a sacrifice fly and single respectively.
• Burnett continued his strong work on the mound retiring the next six batters consecutively and USM carried its 12-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth.  An RBI single up the middle from Francis and an RBI double down the right field line from freshman Joe Bova (Boston, Mass./The Winchendon School) made it 14-0.
• In the seventh, Burnett forced a double play to close the inning and the Eagles were only able to come up with a lone single off of Husky closers sophomores Wyatt Williamson (Bryant Pond, Maine/Oxford Hills) and Dylan Miner (East Baldwin, Maine/Sacopee Valley) in the eighth and ninth for the 14-2 final.
• USM's Vesosky was 2-for-4 with two runs as the Husky lead off, while Seymour, Komulainen, and Francis each collected two hits a piece. Komulainen and LeBlond each had two RBI.

 
UP NEXT:
Southern Maine heads to nearby St. Joseph's (Maine) College on Wednesday (3:30 pm). USM returns to LEC play during the weekend heading to Western Connecticut on Saturday (12:00 pm) for a doubleheader.