Curran, Dexter Pitch USM Past Babson 3-1

            BABSON PARK, Mass. -- Sophomore pitchers Henry Curran (South Portland, Maine) and Jake Dexter (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee) combined for a four-hitter as the visiting University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the Babson College Beavers 3-1 in non-conference baseball action Thursday afternoon at Govoni Field.

            The win was the 13th straight for the Huskies, and improved their overall record to 20-7.  USM has now reached the 20-win mark for the 33rd straight season.  The Beavers fell back to .500 at 13-13 overall.

            Curran, 2-1 on the season, had his longest outing of the campaign pitching into the eighth inning.  The southpaw allowed just four hits and one walk while striking out six.  Curran gave way to Dexter after surrendering a single to junior David Lennon (Windermere, Fla.) leading off the eighth.  Dexter came in and promptly got a double play, and went on to record his sixth save of the season going two innings without allowing a hit.

            In a crisply played game (1:49), the Huskies took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when junior Sam Stauble (Harrison, Maine/Bridgton Academy) led off the frame with a single, and moved to second when rookie Dylan Hapworth (Winslow, Maine) was hit by a pitch.  After a double play moved Stauble to third, he would score when Dexter's ground ball was misplayed for an error.

            USM doubled its lead in the top of the sixth after two were out.  Hapworth was hit by a pitch for the second time, went to third on a single by sophomore Kip Richard (Kennebunk, Maine), and scored on Dexter's bunt single.

            Babson scored its only run in the home half of the inning when senior Jake Weiss (Irvine, Calif.) drew Curran's only walk with one out, stole second and came home on classmate Jack Halpin's (Glastonbury, Conn.) two-out single to center field.

            Southern Maine tacked up an insurance run in the seventh inning as sophomore Andrew Hiller (Bangor, Maine) walked, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by rookie Andrew Olszak (Danvers, Mass.) and scored on a single to right-center field by sophomore Zach Quintal (Eliot, Maine/Marshwood).

            Quintal and Richard each had two singles to lead USM's seven-hit attack.  No Babson hitter had multiple hits.

            Babson starting pitcher, sophomore right-hander Edward Lehr (Byram Township, N.J.), was the tough-luck loser (0-2) going six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits, a walk and two hit batsmen.  Lehr struck out one.

            After a day off, the Huskies will travel to Plymouth State University on Saturday (12:00 p.m.) for a Little East Conference doubleheader.  Babson opens a three-game weekend series against Emerson College on Friday (3:30 p.m.) in Brockton, Mass. 

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