PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Theodores '25

STANDISH, Maine – University of Southern Maine (11-18) jumped out to an early lead and held on to defeat Saint Joseph's College (7-22), 8-5, in a non-conference baseball contest at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Monday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

After a scoreless first inning, the Huskies knocked in five runs on five hits – including a three-run homer off the bat of senior Lucas Francis (Lisbon, Maine) – to secure the early advantage. Sophomore Kyle Douin (Augusta, Maine) also roped a two-run double during the second frame.

The Monks countered by scoring two runs without recording a hit in the bottom of the second as senior Dawson Gundlah (York, Maine) walked and crossed the plate on an infield error and sophomore Dylan Brander (Merrimack, N.H.) worked a free pass and trotted home on an Alex Moore (Henniker, N.H.) sac fly.

USM proceeded to tack on two runs on four hits in the top of the fourth while SJC sent home three runs on three hits – including a two-run triple off the bat of Moore – in the bottom of the frame to make it a 7-5 game through four innings.

Southern Maine capped the game scoring with a run on one hit and an SJC error in the top of the fifth.

ON THE MOUND:

SJC starter Matt Thibault (Nashua, N.H.) suffered the loss and falls to 1-2 after allowing seven runs on nine hits over four innings. Relievers Liam Jann (Philadelphia, Pa.), Andrew Keniston (Center Ossipee, N.H.), and Logan Dee (Laconia, N.H.) combined to work five innings while giving up one unearned run with five strikeouts.

USM hurler Dylan Miner (East Baldwin, Maine) gave up five runs (three earned) on four hits and four walks with three K's in four innings while Kyle Skolfield (Gorham, Maine) earned the win after yielding two hits with a pair of punch outs over two scoreless frames. Jack Bruno (Upton, Mass.) and Colin McDonald (Gorham, Maine) worked scoreless innings and Matt Burnett (Ellsworth, Maine) earned his first save of the year after allowing a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth.

OFF THE BAT:

• Sophomore center fielder Jared Wilhelm (Tolland, Conn.) was 2-5 with an RBI
• Junior third baseman Michael Wearne (Ellington, Conn.) was 1-3 with a pair of walks
• Brander went 1-3 with two runs
• Moore was 1-3 with a run, a triple, and three RBI
• For Southern Maine, Francis was 4-5 with two runs, a homer, and four RBI, Douin went 4-5 with a double and three RBI, and Anthony Poole (South Portland, Maine) and Hunter Brissette (Lisbon, Maine) added two hits apiece

NEXT!

Saint Joseph's will host Lasell University tomorrow in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest starting at 4:00 PM.

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