Standish, ME - The University of Southern Maine used single runs in the fifth, sixth, and ninth innings to defeat the Saint Joseph's College Monks 3-0 in non-conference action at Mahaney Diamond on Thursday. With the loss, Saint Joseph's drops to 25-6 on the season, while the Huskies move to 21-7, and sweep the regular season series (3-0).

Junior hurler Adam Ross went the distance for the Huskies. The Spruce Head, Maine, native scattered 5 hits and did not allow a walk, earning the complete game shutout victory.

Sophomore Wade Oliver (Owls Head, ME), senior Mark Clapp (Blue Hill, ME), junior Dustin Spiller (Gorham, ME), rookie Ben Grant-Roy (Biddeford, ME) and junior Andrew Wood (South Portland, ME) each collected hits for the Royal Blue. Clapp, Spiller, and Grant-Roy each hit doubles, but were unable to score.

The lone bright-spot for the Monks came on the mound. Senior Sam Tupper (Yarmouth, ME) got the start. Tupper (6-0) retired 6 of the 7 Southern Maine hitters he faced in a tune-up for Sunday's NAC showdown with Castleton State.

Southpaw Kyle Dorr (Berwick, ME) suffered the tough-luck loss for the Monks, allowing 1 run on 1 hit in 3 innings of relief work. With the loss, Dorr drops to 4-1 on the year. First-year lefty Andrew Keirstead (Westbrook, ME) was equally effective in his 3 innings of work, allowing a run on three hits. Sophomore Andy Pooler (Southwest Harbor, ME) gave up 1 run, while fanning 2 for the Monks in the ninth.

"I wasn't very pleased with our approach at the plate today. We were too impatient and we didn't make (Ross) work," said head coach Will Sanborn. "I liked the effort we got from some young pitchers today. If we hold a team to three runs, we expect to win the game and today we didn't."

The Monks will not return to action until Sunday, when they will play host to Castleton State College in a North Atlantic Conference doubleheader. The start time for game one is set for 12:00 noon at beautiful Larry Mahaney Diamond on the campus of Saint Joseph's College.