Harwich, MA --- Southern Maine freshman Sam Dexter (Oakland, ME) went 3-for-5 and jacked the go-ahead, two-run homer in the top of the ninth to help lift top-seeded Southern Maine to a 5-2 triumph over #3 Endicott this afternoon in the NCAA Division III New England Baseball Regional at Whitehouse Field.
The Huskies (41-8), who extended their program record for victories in a season, have forced the if-necessary contest to play for all the marbles tomorrow at 12 PM. Southern Maine will go for their seventh regional crown while the Gulls (35-14) try to advance to their first-ever College World Series.
With Endicott leading 2-0 entering the top of the seventh, junior Matt Verrier (Norway, ME) drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second on a ground ball for the second out. That brought sophomore Jake Glauser (Goffstown, NH) to the plate, who promptly sent an RBI single up the middle to slice the deficit in half.
In the eighth, the Huskies put a man on every base with one out after an infield single by junior Forrest Chadwick (Gardiner, ME). On the very next play, senior Nick Grady (Whitefield, ME) induced a ground ball to the third baseman, who tried to make the play at the plate, but his throw was too low and Dexter touched home to make the score 2-2.
That set the stage for Dexter to blast his fourth home-run of the season on a shot to left center field. The dinger for Dexter was his second-straight as he had sent one over the fence for another two-run blast in the Huskies 7-0 win over Western New England earlier today.
Grady rapped out a run producing single to center field to make the score 5-2.
Endicott snapped a scoreless game in the top of the fourth on a pinch-hit sacrifice fly with the bases loaded by junior EJ Martinez (Brooklyn, NY) to bring in graduate student Colin Sitarz (W. Hartford, CT).
The Gulls extended their edge to 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth on another deep fly ball by senior Eric Lemke (Southington, CT), which scored freshman Matthew Paola (Middlebury, CT). Paola sparked the rally with a double to start off the frame and he moved into scoring position on a sacrifice.
Sophomore Andrew Richards (S. Portland, ME) earned the victory for the Huskies in relief.
Richards (9-2), who came into the contest in the fourth and gave up the sacrifice fly, tossed five 2/3 frames of six-hit relief, allowing one earned run. He also fanned five and stranded six in scoring position – including two Endicott runners in the last three frames with one out or less.
Richards didn't even get the chance to catch his breath after throwing a five-hit shutout in his first collegiate start against the Golden Bears on 92 pitches. Altogether Richards threw156 balls off the mound on the day including 109 for strikes (70 percent).
Senior Kevin Dupras (Belchertown, MA) shouldered the loss in his two 1/3 innings in relief of graduate student Mike Nich (Orange, CT). Dupras (3-2) permitted four runs (three earned), walked one batter and did not strike anyone out.
Nich was effective in the no-decision in six 2/3 frames, scattering five hits and yielding one earned run. He also rung up a trio on strikes and issued two free passes.
White, Chadwick, Grady and Glauser all had two base-knocks each to help pace an attack that out-slugged Endicott, 12-9.
Martinez was 2-for-2 off the bench for the Gulls with a run scored and Paola chipped in with a double and a bunt single.