PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Five of the Huskies 10 hits went for extra bases as the University of Southern Maine picked up a 13-2 (7 inning) win over the Plymouth State University Panthers in a Little East Conference baseball game Tuesday afternoon at Parish Field.
Seniors
Arlo Pike (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle),
Brogan Searle-Belanger (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) and junior
Cam Seymour (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) each had a home run. While Searle-Belanger, junior Janek Lukzsa (South Paris, Maine/Oxford Hills) and sophomore
Anthony Poole (South Portland, Maine) each drove in three runs.
THE BASICS:
Records:
Southern Maine (10-15, 5-4 LEC)
Plymouth State University (7-14, 1-7 LEC)
Today's game marked the 131
st meeting between the University of Southern Maine and Plymouth State University. The Huskies lead the series 90-39-2, and are 10-1 against the Panthers in their last 11 meetings. USM swept PSU 9-0 and 14-2 (7 inn) in 2022. Southern Maine will host Plymouth State on May 2 (4:30 pm) as part of The Town of Gorham Day Celebration.
Score:
Southern Maine 13
Plymouth State University 2 – 7 innings
Pitching:
Winning Pitcher: SM,
Lucas Francis (1-2), 4.0 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: PSU, Tyler Hicks (1-3), 5.0 IP, 6 hits, 6 runs (5 earned), 5 walks, 1 strikeout
Save: NONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Up 4-2 after five innings, Southern Maine exploded for nine runs in the top of the sixth to earn the 13-2 seven-inning win over the Panthers.
- The Huskies led 4-0 after the top of the third, highlighted by a two-run single to right from Poole. The Panthers came back for two runs in the bottom of the inning as the first four PSU batters reached safely on a walk, back-to-back singles and a hit-by-pitch. Luke Sokolski drove in PSU's first run with a single to right, before Joshua Weelsh had an RBI sacrifice fly to right for the 4-2 score.
- Husky junior Lucas Francis (Lisbon, Maine/Libson Falls) entered the game in the bottom of the fourth and retired the Panthers in order, and then worked his way around a lead-off single in the bottom of the fifth to keep the Huskies in front.
- Pike started the Huskies sixth-inning rally with a lead off home run to the gap in right giving USM a 5-2 lead. Senior Jason Komulainen (Gorham, Maine) and Lukzsa each drew a walk around a ground out, putting runners on first and second for the Huskies and setting up Searle-Belanger for a three-run home run to right and an 8-2 USM lead. After a change in pitcher for PSU and another out, Seymour connected on USM's third home run of the inning – a solo shot to right for a 9-2 lead.
- Batting around the lineup, USM walked in two more runs to lead 11-2 before Lukzsa hit a two-run single to left for a 13-2 advantage.
- Francis continued his strong relief appearance sitting the Panthers down in order in the bottom of the sixth. In the seventh, Francis gave up two singles, but initiated a double-play, pitcher to shortstop to first, to erase the threat and secure the win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- With his sixth home run of 2023, Seymour now has 26 in his career and is tied for sixth in the USM career record books.
- Pike and Searle-Belanger's home runs were the first of the season.
UP NEXT:
Southern Maine hosts Endicott College Gulls on Wednesday (3:30 pm) in a non-conference game. The Gulls are ranked No. 6 in the d3baseball.com Top 25 National Poll.
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