Baseball 2/14/2023 1:33:00 PM Christina Cracolici, Director of Athletic Communications

Huskies’ Baseball Picked First in Little East Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll

GORHAM, Maine – Led by Hall of Fame Coach Ed Flaherty, now in his 38^th season with a record of 1098-490-4, the University of Southern Maine Huskies' baseball team have been picked to finish first in the 2023 Little East Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.

Receiving four first place votes the Huskies totaled 57 points in the poll to finish ahead of Rhode Island College (53 points, 2 FP) and defending National Champion Eastern Connecticut State University (52 points, 2 FP).

Huskies finished last season with a 23-19 overall record and a 10-6 mark in Little East Conference action. The fourth seed in the 2022 LEC tournament, the Huskies were eliminated by eventual conference champion Eastern Connecticut on day two. Returning a significant number of seasoned and talented student-athletes to the mix, Southern Maine is looking to return to the NCAA postseason for the ninth time in the last 11 years after missing the 2022 season. The Huskies have earned a bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament 26 times.

Among the Huskies scheduled to return in 2023 are D3baseball.com All-Region and first team All-Little East Conference designated hitter Arlo Pike (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle). Playing and starting in 40 games for the Huskies in the 2022 season, Pike led Southern Maine with a .345 batting average, collecting 48 hits in 139 at-bats. With 11 doubles and seven home runs, 37.5 percent of Pike's hits went for extra bases for a 1.015 OPS and a .576 slugging percentage.

Scoring 25 runs and driving in a team-leading 34 RBI, Pike had 15 multiple hit games during the season, highlighted by an outstanding 4-for-4 effort in a 5-2 Little East Conference win over Rhode Island College (April 2). Pike's numbers jumped in LEC action as the Huskies' junior hit .388 (19-for-49) in 14 conference games with six doubles and 11 RBI and nine runs scored.

Also returning to the Huskies are 2021 LEC and D3Baseball.com New England Rookie of the Year, Cam Seymour (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy). A 2021 ABCA All-American (second team), Seymour earned both second and third team honors from the LEC as a sophomore, picking up third team honors as a relief pitcher and second team honors at first base.

Junior Bryce Afthim (Windham, Maine) returns to the mound for the Huskies. A 2021 ABCA Division III All-Region first team selection as a freshman, Afthim earned LEC second team honors as a starting pitcher in 2022. Appearing in 10 games with seven starts, Afthim fired 61.0 innings and had a 2.36 earned run average. Second on the team in strikeouts with 55, Afthim had three complete games and was 4-3 overall with one save.

Earning post-season honors for the first time in his career in 2022, senior Jason Komulainen (Gorham, Maine) was a second team All-LEC pick at catcher last season, hitting a career-best .329 (52-for-158) with 31 RBI, 3 home runs and 12 doubles. Defensively, Komulainen fielded his position well (.991) with 25 assists and 293 put outs and throwing out 10 would-be base stealers.

USM also returns former All-LEC recipients Tom Vesosky (Colchester, Vermont) who earned third team honors as an outfielder in 2021. Vesosky hit .327 in 2022 with 33 RBI. Junior Janek Luksza (South Paris, Maine/Oxford Hills) also returns. A middle infielder, Luksza was the 2021 Little East Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player as a freshman.
The Huskies are scheduled to open their 2023 season on March 3 (1:00 pm) at Salve Regina in Newport, Rhode Island.

2023 Little East Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll
Place Team (First Place Votes) Points