GORHAM, Maine – Endicott was held to eight hits, all of them singles, in a 7-0 loss to the University of Southern Maine, the #1 ranked team in New England on Wednesday afternoon at USM Baseball Stadium.
The loss ends Endicott's five-game win streak and drops their overall record to 19-11 on the season. The Huskies sweep the season series from Endicott and win their 16th straight game, improving to 22-3 on the year.
Harry Oringer (Dartmouth, Mass.) and Colin Sitarz (West Hartford, Conn.) each had two hits in the game, but the Gulls were unable to generate any significant scoring chances and could not overcome a 3-0 first inning deficit.
Southern Maine freshman pitcher Tyler Leavitt (North Andover, Mass.) pushed his record to 3-0 with a complete game shutout performance. Leavitt walked just one batter and collected three strikeouts in the win.
The Huskies rapped out 13 hits, including a 3-for-4, two RBI day from second baseman Anthony Pisani (Cheshire, Conn.) and a 3-for-5 day from designated hitter Chris Bernard (Scarborough, Maine), who scored a run and drove one in as well.
Southern Maine also stole seven bases in the game, including five in the first inning, in which shortstop Sam Dexter (Oakland, Maine) led off with a single and center fielder Forrest Chadwick (Gardiner, Maine) doubled him to third. After an Endicott error, Tucker White (Deerfield, N.H.) stole second while Chadwick stole home. White would subsequently steal third and score on a single by Bernard.
The home team added another run in the fourth on a single through the right side by Chadwick that plated junior Matt Verrier (Norway, Maine) and then grabbed two more runs in the fifth on RBI singles by Verrier and Pisani.
Endicott starter Zac Poland (Essex Junction, Vt.) fell to 2-1 on the season after allowing three earned runs over three innings of work.
Southern Maine capped their scoring for the day in the bottom of the seventh, with a single by Pisani that scored right fielder Troy Thibodeau (Danvers, Mass.), who had doubled to left center and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
Right fielder Conor Ressel (Rockport, Mass.) was on base twice for Endicott, with a hit and a walk, while Brett Holmgren (Middleboro, Mass.), Tad Gold (Martha's Vineyard, Mass.) and Eric Lemke (Southington, Conn.) had the other base knocks for the Blue and Green.
The Gulls return to Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action on Friday afternoon with a double-header against Nichols. The Bison and Gulls are set for a 2:00 pm first pitch in Game One at North Field.
The Huskies will face a great in-region test on Thursday when they travel to Wheaton College for a 4:00 pm matchup.