GORHAM, ME – University of Southern Maine (14-13, 3-5 LEC) defeated Saint Joseph's (21-11, 10-2 GNAC), 6-5, in 12 innings at the USM Baseball Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. Senior outfielder Todd Keneborus (Hollis Center, ME/Cheverus) went 2-4 with a double, a home run and two RBI in the hardfought loss.
With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 12th, David Ricker (Winthrop, ME) stroked a walk off RBI single to right field to grab the victory just in the nick of time for the Huskies as the game was threatening to be called due to darkness.
With the score tied at three runs each after five innings, both teams were kept off the scoreboard through the tenth. The Monks struck first in the top of the 11th inning reaching USM's Mike Eaton (Sabattus, ME) for two runs on two hits, two walks and one hit batsmen. Prior to the 11th, Eaton held the Monks scoreless through two innings.
Freshman Alex Lorenc (Nanuet, NY) drove in the first run of the inning for the Monks when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, before sophomore Nate Martin (Chebeague Island, ME) scored sophomore Sam Butts (Saco, ME) with an RBI bunt single. Butts reached base safely with a single through the left side earlier in the inning.
The Huskies rallied in the bottom of the inning with two runs of their own to force another inning in dark conditions. After giving up two base runners on a hits batsmen and a walk, Monk junior Andrew Devereaux (Hope Valley, RI) retired the Huskies next two batters. With runners on two bases and two outs, the Huskies sent sophomore Brett Barrett (Keene, NH) to the plate as a pinch hitter. Barrett delivered for USM with a laser of a single through the right side, scoring junior Anthony Pisani (Cheshire, CT). Sophomore Tucker White (Deerfield, NH) drove in the game tying score in the next at bat with an RBI single up the middle to plate junior Roberto Valenti (Lawrence, MA). After the two runs, Devereux was replaced in favor of senior Chris Dion (Lawrence, MA) who got the final out for the Monks on a strikeout.
In the top of the 12th, Eaton returned to the mound for the Huskies and retired the Monks in order on an infield popup, ground out and a strikeout. In the bottom of the inning, Dion recorded the first out of the inning before back-to-back singles to senior Jordan Berthiaume (Berlin, CT), in a pinch-hitting situation, and Pisani. The Monks intentionally walked Valenti to load the bases and give themselves a force play at each bag, before replacing Dion with junior Kyle Neagle (Lisbon Falls, ME). It was then that Ricker struck for the game-winner.
For the Monks, Mike Pratt '13 (Dartmouth, MA) went 2-5 with a run scored and a pair of doubles, Butts was 2-5 with two runs, Dan Achorn '12 (Bow, NH) had two hits and an RBI in five trips and Chris Campbell '11 (Rochester, NH) added a 2-5 effort in the loss.
With his second double of the game, Pratt broke the Monks' single-season record for two-base hits. With 19 doubles in just 32 games, the sophomore first baseman broke the previous record which was held by two players, Doug Mayo '96 and Dustin Spiller '08.
For the Huskies, Ricker was 3-7 with a run and an RBI and Pisani went 2-5 with a run scored.
Eaton, who pitched four innings in relief allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks, picked up the win for the Huskies. Dion was tagged with the loss for the Monks allowing one earned run on two hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning.
St. Joe's starter junior Chad Rafferty (Keene, NH) pitched well through eight inning for the Monks allowing three earned runs on five hits and four walks. Rafferty struck out five. Southern Maine starter sophomore Ryan Yates (Norway, ME) allowed three earned runs in five innings on nine hits and a walk.
St. Joe's will play at Anna Maria College on Thursday afternoon at 3:00 PM while Southern Maine travels to Plymouth State on Friday for a conference doubleheader slated to begin at 1:00 PM.
COURTESY OF USM SPORTS INFORMATION
