LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates baseball team stole seven bases on Tuesday, breaking the program record for steals in a season along the way, in a 9-3 victory over the Husson University Eagles at Leahey Field. 

The Bobcats (11-9) have stolen 90 bases so far this season, two more than the previous program record of 88, which was set in 2010. 

First-year Jack Margiloff (Rye, N.Y.) had the honor of recording the record-breaking steal with his swipe of second base in the bottom of the sixth inning on Tuesday.

Junior Corbin McAlpine (Boxborough, Mass.) struck out four in three hitless and scoreless innings out of the bullpen to earn the victory for Bates. McAlpine (2-0) lowered his ERA to a team-best 2.70 on the season. 

Trailing 1-0, the Bobcats took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the second. Senior Henry Jamieson (St. Simons Island, Ga.) got the offense going with a single through the left side. He stole second and senior captain John Nowak (Pelham, N.Y.) drew a walk. Both runners moved up 90 feet on a ground out and both scored when Margiloff hit a grounder to short. The throw sailed away from the Husson shortstop and hit the fence on the first base side. Margiloff advanced to second on the play and Bates led 2-1. 

Margiloff stole third and a short time later displayed a head for the game by scoring on a dropped third strike. When Husson threw the ball to first to get the Bates batter, Margiloff scampered home for the third run of the inning.

The Eagles got a run back in the third but Bates answered in the fourth.

With one away, Nowak drew a walk. He moved to second on a wild pitch and proceeded to steal third. Then with two down, Margiloff came up with a clutch hit, singling home Nowak with a base hit through the left side. 

Bates starting pitcher junior Teddie Nelson (Marshfield, Mass.) did not allow a hit in three innings pitched, but struggled with his control, allowing two runs while walking two and hitting a batter. Sophomore Christopher McGrail (Dedham, Mass.) relieved Nelson and pitched a scoreless fourth. The Eagles finally recorded their first hit of the game when Hunter Curtis hit a solo home run leading off the fifth, trimming the Bates lead to 4-3. The Eagles put runners at first and second with one out, but McGrail got two big pop ups to end the inning. 

McAlpine entered the game in the top of the sixth and worked around an error to shut down the Eagles, striking out a pair in the frame. Bates plated four runs in the bottom half of the frame, running away from Husson (9-10) in the process. 

With one away in the home half, Nowak drew his third walk of the afternoon. Sophomore Ben Genser (Newton, Mass.) singled him to third base, putting runners at the corners. Genser stole second and a passed ball on the play allowed Nowak to score and Genser to advance to third.

Margiloff drew a walk and recorded the record-breaking steal to put runners at second and third. Genser got thrown out at home on a grounder to short, putting runners at the corners. Then junior Jack Brennan (West Hartford, Conn.) hit a ground ball to second. The Eagles tried to get senior Drew Fallon (Mansfield, Mass.) at second base, but the throw was not in time. The relay to first was not in time as well, and everyone was safe. Margiloff scored on the play and Bates led 6-3.

Junior Christopher Cimino (Scarborough, Maine) provided the big blow of the inning, doubling down the left field line to score Fallon and Brennan, extending the advantage to 8-3. 

Bates added one more tally in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs, Fallon reached on an error. He stole second and scored on a Brennan double down the left field line. 

Sophomore Ian McAslan (Baltimore, Md.) tossed a scoreless ninth inning to finish off the victory for Bates.

The Bobcats are back in action Wednesday at 3:30pm when they host the University of Maine-Farmington.