The win is the ninth straight for the Huskies who have won posted back-to-back come-from-behind victories this week, and improves their record 16-5 overall. Saint Joseph's College had its four-game win streak halted to stand at 12-9 overall.
Trailing 8-5 in the bottom of the seventh, senior Sam Dexter (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee) ignited the Huskies' rally with a lead-off home run over the center field fence. With Dexter's fourth home run of the season cutting the SJC lead to 8-6, the Huskies plated two more runs on an RBI single to right field from sophomore Brandon Martins (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) and an RBI triple down the right field line from senior Nick DiBiase (Portland, Maine/Deering). Martins' single scored classmate Sam Stauble (Harrison, Maine/Bridgton Academy) who followed Dexter with a single to shortstop, while DiBiase knocked in Martins. The Huskies nearly scored the go-ahead run in the inning on a wild pitch, but DiBiase was cut down at home.
Knotted up at eight runs each and headed to the top of the eighth, freshman Jake Dexter (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee) moved from second base to the pitcher's mound in a closer's role for USM. Dexter got the first out of the inning on a grounder before giving up a pinch-hit single through the right side to SJC junior Dan Donovan (Lynn, Mass./St. Mary's). Dexter then received from help from his catcher as freshman Kip Richard (Kennebunk, Maine) gunned down junior Scott Betts (Peabody, Mass./St. Mary's) as he attempted to steal second. Betts entered the game as a pinch runner for Donovan. With two down and the bases now empty, Dexter closed out the inning on a strikeout.
Leading off the bottom of the eighth, Jake Dexter drew the walk of SJC pitcher sophomore Marc Poirier (Lunenburg, Mass.), who entered the game to start the inning. Poirier got the next Husky batter out on strikes before senior Paul McDonough (Wells, Maine) made it first and third with a single through the left side. The Monks chose to issue an intentional walk to Sam Dexter to load the bases bringing up Stauble. Stauble, who was 2-for-3 in the game up to this point, ran the count full against Poirier before being awarded first base on a catcher's interference call, scoring Jake Dexter for the go-ahead run. With the bases still full of Huskies' and just one down, Poirier limited the damage retiring the final two USM hitters on strikes.
Dexter returned to the mound for the top of the ninth and worked his way around a one-out walk to earn his third win of the season. Dexter, now 3-0, was the Huskies' fourth pitcher of the game. He pitched two innings allowing one hit and one walk, while striking out three in the win. SJC's Poirier (0-2), the Monks sixth pitcher of the game, took the loss. He pitched one inning and gave up one run, unearned, on one hit and two walks.
USM freshman Jack Donnelly (Walpole, Mass.) started the game, pitching 4.2 innings and allowing four earned runs on six hits. Donnelly struck out four and did not yield a walk. He was relieved by classmate Matt Correale (Peabody, Mass.), who pitched 1.1 innings allowing four earned runs on four hits and two walks. Senior Ryan Browner (Georgetown, Mass) pitched a clean seventh inning before giving way to Dexter.
Sophomore Chris Gerossie (Chester, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) started the game for SJC allowing three runs (two earned) in three innings on two hits. Junior Nick Malatesta (Wrentham, Mass./King Phillip), senior Riley Cox (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) and junior Thomas Fortier (Falmouth, Maine) combined to get the Monks through five and two-thirds inning allowing two runs, both unearned. Sophomore Travis Godbout (Portland, Maine) entered the game to get the final out in the bottom of the sixth and gave up the Huskies' three runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Stauble and Martins each finished with two RBI for USM. Stauble was 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Six of the Huskies' 10 hits in the game went for extra bases, including doubles from McDonough, Stauble, Richard and senior Jake Glauser (Goffstown, N.H.), a triple from DiBiase and Dexter's home run.
Southern Maine returns to action on Saturday (12:00 p.m.). The Huskies will host Little East Conference opponent Western Connecticut State in a doubleheader. Saint Joseph's College hosts Johnson and Wales on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) in a GNAC doubleheader.
COURTESY OF USM SPORTS INFORMATION
