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Chris Quigley Fall 2024
Chris Quigley pulled USM to within a run in the top of the ninth.
4
Southern Me. SOUTHERN 0-4
5
Winner Colby COLBY 3-0
Southern Me. SOUTHERN
0-4
4
Final
5
Colby COLBY
3-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Southern Me. SOUTHERN 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 4 6 3
Colby COLBY 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 X 5 9 2

W: M. Mahoney (1-0) L: Francis, Lucas (0-1) S: M. Higgins (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Christina Cracolici, Director of Athletic Communications

Colby Slips Past Southern Maine 5-4

WATERVILLE, Maine  –  With the game knotted up at 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth Kai Aoki doubled to left field driving in two runs to lead the Colby College Mules to a 5-4 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies Tuesday afternoon in a non-conference baseball game at Coombs Field.

The Huskies had a late rally in the top of the ninth, but Colby was able to hold on for the win. 
 
Records:
Southern Maine (0-4)                000 000 022    4-6-3
Colby College (3-0)                   100 000 13x    5-9-2
 
Pitching Records:
WP: C, Matt Mahoney (1-0) 2.0 IP, 1H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 5K, 1HR
LP:  SM, Lucas Francis (0-1) 1.2 IP, 2H, 3R, 2ER, 0 BB, 1K
SV, C, Matt Higgins (Sv, 1) 1.0 IP, 2H, 2R, 1ER, 1BB, 0 K
 
How It Happened:
  • Colby took an early 1-0 lead on a two-out double to left field from Tony Silva.  Husky starter sophomore Colin McDonald gave up a single to start the game but settled to get the next two outs on a pop up and a strikeout before Silva struck for his RBI. 
  • After the first McDonald settled in and retired Colby in order in the second and third inning, and worked his way a walk and an error to keep it a 1-0 score.  In the bottom of the fifth, USM senior Jack LeBlond (Lewiston, Maine/Bridgton Academy) led off the inning reaching safely on a Colby infield error and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice from junior Dylan Firmin (Stratham, NH/Exeter).  However, Mule starter Ryan Grecco got back-to-back strikeouts (two of his nine in the game) to end the threat.
  • The Huskies kept the Mules off the scoreboard in the top of the fifth despite runners on first and second with one out after back-to-back singles.  Southern Maine ended the inning with a double-play ball from LeBlond (2B) to junior Peter Keblinsky (SS) to junior Kyle Douin (1B). 
  • With Matt Mahoney on in relief of Grecco for the Mules, Southern Maine went quietly in the top of the seventh.  In the home half of the inning, Colby doubled its run advantage as Ethan Hillenber tripled to lead off and Marco Zirpolo doubled for a 2-0 scoreline.  Zirpolo was thrown out attempting to take third on a strong relay from sophomore Mike Anquillare (North Haven, Conn.) in left field. After the runs, McDonald was lifted in favor of senior Lucas Francis (Lisbon, Maine) who ended the inning with a strikeout and a lineout.
  • Facing a two-run deficit, and with just six outs remaining in the game for the Huskies, senior Anthony Poole (South Portland, Maine) drew a one-out walk.  Mahoney got the second out of the inning for the Mules on one of his five strikeouts in relief before Keblinsky tied the game up with one swing, launching a two-run home run to left, scoring Poole.
  • Colby answered right back however in the top of the eighth to take a 5-2 lead, scoring three runs on two hits, a walk, and the final of the Huskies' three fielding errors in the game.  Aoki hit a clutch two-run double to put the Mules up 4-2 before Hillenber tacked on the third run with a sacrifice fly to right scoring Silva who reached on a fielding error earlier in the inning.
  • Down 5-2, the Huskies were quickly down to their last out after Matt Higgins entered the game in relief and record a fly out and a ground out.  The Huskies showed some life as LeBlond drew a two-out walk, and moved up to second.  A play later, Firmin advanced LeBlond to third with an infield single. Junior Chris Quigley (Halifax, Mass./Silver Lake Regional) made it a one-run game with an RBI single to score LeBlond, while Firmin touched home after a Colby error on the same play. With the tying run at first, Colby's Higgins was able to earn the save and preserve the win getting a fly out to center to close the game.
 
Inside the Box Score
  • Junior Peter Keblinksy (Ellsworth, Maine) connected on his first career home run for Southern Maine. Keblinsky is 4-for-15 in four games (.267) with a double, triple and a home run for a .667 slugging percentage.
  • Husky starter Colin McDonald (Gorham, Maine) pitched 6.1 innings allowing two earned runs on seven hits, a walk and picked up four strikeouts.
  • The Huskies have turned four double-plays this season.   
 
Up Next:
Southern Maine faces UMaine Farmington on Saturday, March 8 (2:30 pm) at Bowdoin College.  The Huskies will be the home team against UMF.  After the Colby game, Southern Maine will head to Florida for a six-game road trip at The RussMatt Invitational.  Southern Maine opens up against La Roche University. 
 
 
-cac-
 
 
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