MANSFIELD, Conn.  –  Josh Confrancesco picked up the game-tying and game-winning RBI in game one, and Dan Driscoll went a full nine and held USM to just three hits in game two as the No. 8/10 Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors swept the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a closely contested Little East Conference baseball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Eastern Stadium.
 
THE SERIES:
Today's games marked the 128^th and 129^th meeting between Southern Maine and Eastern Connecticut in series history.  Eastern Connecticut leads the overall series 75-54, and won the last five consecutively sweeping USM in the 2022 regular season, and earning a 5-0 win in the conference tournament. The Huskies last defeated the Warriors on May 21, 2021 to win the Little East Conference Championship 7-6.
 
THE BASICS:
Game 1 - Records:
Southern Maine (9-14, 4-3 LEC)
Eastern Connecticut (22-5, 7-1 LEC)
Score: ECONN 3, USM 2
 
Game – 2 Records: 
Southern Maine (9-15, 4-4 LEC)
Eastern Connecticut (23-5, 8-1 LEC)
Score: ECONN 2, USM 0
 
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. EastConn Game 1
Winning Pitcher:  EC, Matthew Wootton (5-0), 9.0 IP, 9 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 3 walks, 4 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: SM, Clay Robbins (3-2), 8.1 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
 
Pitching – Southern Maine vs. EastConn Game 2
Winning Pitcher:  EC, Dan Driscoll (6-1), 9.0 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: SM, Bryce Afthim (2-3), 7.0 IP, 9 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. EastConn Game 1:

• Southern Maine took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on RBI singles from senior Tom Vesosky (Colchester, Vermont) and junior Cam Seymour (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy), and led 2-1 until the bottom of the fourth.  ECSU led off the fourth with a single from Matt Malcom and used solid baserunning before Confrancesco earned the RBI with a sacrifice fly to right to tie the score.
• Both teams were scoreless over the next four innings.  Husky starter Clay Robbins (Auburn, Maine/Edward Little) pitched well in the loss, giving up just four hits and a pair of walks in 8.1 innings. After the fourth, Robbins retired the Warriors in order in the fifth and the sixth, striking out four.  In the seventh Robbins worked his way around a fielding error, and in the eighth he had three consecutive ground outs. 
• The Huskies threatened for a go-ahead run in the top of the ninth as junior Janek Luksza (South Paris, Maine/Oxford Hills) led off the inning being hit by a pitch, before Vesosky moved him up a base with a single to left. Both runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, before Warrior starter Matt Wootten got the final two outs to keep it 2-2.
• ECSU's Malcolm led off the inning with a walk, and USM got the first out before Robbins exited the game.  After a wild pitch moved Malcom to second, and the Huskies issued an intentional walk, a fly ball to center field moved Malcom to third with two outs, setting up Confranceso for the game-winning RBI.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. EastConn - Game 2:

• Driscoll pitched a strong game for the Warriors, holding Southern Maine to three hits, all singles, and did not yield a walk in nine innings for the win. 
• ECSU took an early lead in the bottom of the first on a two-out solo home run from Malcolm, and made it 2-0 on a solo home run to lead off the fourth from Alejandro Soriano.  With Driscoll on the mound, the two runs stood for the Warriors.
• The Huskies had a lead runner in the ninth after a single to left from senior Jason Komulainen (Gorham, Maine), but Driscoll bounced back to get the next three outs and secure the win.

 
 
UP NEXT:
Southern Maine travels to Plymouth State on Tuesday (2:00 pm) for a Little East Conference game, and then host Endicott College in a non-conference game on Wednesday (3:30 pm). 
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