Four-run fifth propels Huskies past Endicott
April 6, 2010
BEVERLY, Mass. – The University of Maine scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning to overcome a 3-2 deficit as the Huskies defeated Endicott College (13-8, 7-1 TCCC) in non-conference baseball action Tuesday afternoon in Beverly, Mass. USM’s Mike Eaton (Sabattus, Maine) led the Huskies with a 2 RBI triple in the fifth inning while also picking up his second save of the season. The Blue and Green wrap up their 10-game homestand with a record of 8-2 during the stretch.
Endicott was the first team on the board as \#Andrew Betts\# (Bristol, Conn.) drove in a pair of runs with a single through the right side to give the Gulls an early 2-0 lead. Southern Maine responded in their half of the second inning as Nick Grady (Whitefield, Maine) drove in David Ricker (Winthrop, Maine) with an RBI double down the right field line. Grady would come around to score when Jordan Berthiaume (Berlin, Conn.) also went to the right field line with an RBI single that knotted the game at 2-2.
Endicott took a lead 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third as Betts reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed \#Ralph Fidaleo\# (Fairfield, Conn.) to score in the backdoor from third.
Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth inning before USM came to bat in the top of the fifth. Roberto Valenti (Lawrence, Mass.) and Anthony Pisani (Cheshire, Conn.) led off the inning with back-to-back singles and both came around to score on Eaton’s triple into the right-centerfield gap. Collin Henry (Penobscot, Maine) picked up an RBI groundout a couple pitches later. One batter later, Ricker walked and would come around to score on a single by Nick Grady that turned into a two-base error when \#Colin Sitarz\#’s (West Hartford, Conn.) throw to third base sailed high and out of play.
Both teams’ bullpens took over for the rest of the game as the two relief staffs scattered seven hits through the next four innings of play. Endicott threatened in the bottom of the ninth as \#Chris Dominguez\# (Braintree, Mass.) singled with one out and moved into scoring position on a \#Ralph Fidaleo\# walk. Dominguez came around to score on an RBI single by \#Colin Sitarz\# but Eaton struck out \#Benjamin Petrides\# (Belchertown, Mass.) to end the threat and the game.
The Gulls were led by a 3-for-5 day from Dominguez while four other Endicott players registered at least one hit including Betts, Sitarz and \#Robbie Goldstick\# (Deerfield, Ill.). \#Kevin Dupras\# (Belchertown, Mass.) suffered the setback for EC while going 4.2 innings and giving up nine hits and six runs (five earned). \#Rich Yutkins\# (Billerica, Mass.) and \#Tyler Hitchcock\# (Abington, Mass.) both pitched well in relief as the duo combined for 4.1 innings while giving up only five hits.
Southern Maine had four players pick up multiple hits including a 3-for-5 day from Nick Grady. Roberto Valenti, Collin Henry and Ricker each had two hits apiece. Eaton drove in a team-high 2 RBI with his triple while Ricker walked twice and scored a pair of runs. Nick Hahn (Guilford, Conn.) picked up the win in relief for USM while giving up only two hits in three innings of work. The rest of the bullpen combined for the other three innings while scattering three hits with Eaton picking up the save despite giving up one earned run.
Endicott returns to action on Wednesday when the Gulls travel to Babson University for a non-conference tilt scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Southern Maine also continues non-conference play when the Huskies travel to Salem State for a matchup at 3:30 p.m. as well.
Endicott was the first team on the board as \#Andrew Betts\# (Bristol, Conn.) drove in a pair of runs with a single through the right side to give the Gulls an early 2-0 lead. Southern Maine responded in their half of the second inning as Nick Grady (Whitefield, Maine) drove in David Ricker (Winthrop, Maine) with an RBI double down the right field line. Grady would come around to score when Jordan Berthiaume (Berlin, Conn.) also went to the right field line with an RBI single that knotted the game at 2-2.
Endicott took a lead 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third as Betts reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed \#Ralph Fidaleo\# (Fairfield, Conn.) to score in the backdoor from third.
Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth inning before USM came to bat in the top of the fifth. Roberto Valenti (Lawrence, Mass.) and Anthony Pisani (Cheshire, Conn.) led off the inning with back-to-back singles and both came around to score on Eaton’s triple into the right-centerfield gap. Collin Henry (Penobscot, Maine) picked up an RBI groundout a couple pitches later. One batter later, Ricker walked and would come around to score on a single by Nick Grady that turned into a two-base error when \#Colin Sitarz\#’s (West Hartford, Conn.) throw to third base sailed high and out of play.
Both teams’ bullpens took over for the rest of the game as the two relief staffs scattered seven hits through the next four innings of play. Endicott threatened in the bottom of the ninth as \#Chris Dominguez\# (Braintree, Mass.) singled with one out and moved into scoring position on a \#Ralph Fidaleo\# walk. Dominguez came around to score on an RBI single by \#Colin Sitarz\# but Eaton struck out \#Benjamin Petrides\# (Belchertown, Mass.) to end the threat and the game.
The Gulls were led by a 3-for-5 day from Dominguez while four other Endicott players registered at least one hit including Betts, Sitarz and \#Robbie Goldstick\# (Deerfield, Ill.). \#Kevin Dupras\# (Belchertown, Mass.) suffered the setback for EC while going 4.2 innings and giving up nine hits and six runs (five earned). \#Rich Yutkins\# (Billerica, Mass.) and \#Tyler Hitchcock\# (Abington, Mass.) both pitched well in relief as the duo combined for 4.1 innings while giving up only five hits.
Southern Maine had four players pick up multiple hits including a 3-for-5 day from Nick Grady. Roberto Valenti, Collin Henry and Ricker each had two hits apiece. Eaton drove in a team-high 2 RBI with his triple while Ricker walked twice and scored a pair of runs. Nick Hahn (Guilford, Conn.) picked up the win in relief for USM while giving up only two hits in three innings of work. The rest of the bullpen combined for the other three innings while scattering three hits with Eaton picking up the save despite giving up one earned run.
Endicott returns to action on Wednesday when the Gulls travel to Babson University for a non-conference tilt scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Southern Maine also continues non-conference play when the Huskies travel to Salem State for a matchup at 3:30 p.m. as well.