Posted: Apr 03, 2012
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BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott baseball team fell behind early to the University of Southern Maine and was not able to recover, falling 9-3 in non-conference action Tuesday at North Field.
The Gulls have dropped three straight games and fall to 10-12 on the season. Southern Maine, winners of three of their last four, gets above the .500 mark with a 9-8 record.
Endicott left fielder Michael Russo (Natick, Mass.) had three hits in the game and relievers Andrew Millard (New Milford, Conn.) and Tyler Hill (Plymouth, N.H.) combined for four and a third innings of three-hit scoreless baseball in a losing effort.
The Huskies jumped out in front with run totals matching the numbers of the first three innings. They scored a single run in the first after leadoff hitter Matt Powers (Portland, Maine) reached on a bunt single and came around to score on an error, one of four Endicott miscues on the day.
Southern Maine added two more runs in the second inning on a homerun by right fielder Jake Glauser (Goffstown, N.H.). The freshman outfielder went 3-4 in the game with three runs batted in and crossed the plate twice as well. The Huskies grabbed three more runs an inning later on a single by first baseman Matt Verrier (Norway, Maine) and a double to center field by Glauser that was booted by Endicott center fielder Tad Gold (Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.), allowing USM catcher Dylan Morris (Bangor, Maine) to come in to score.
Endicott pulled a run back in the bottom of the sixth when shortstop E.J. Martinez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and third baseman Danny Mello (Peabody, Mass.) led off the inning with singles. Martinez, who had gone to third on his infield partner’s hit, came in to score when Eric Lemke (Southington, Conn.) grounded into a double play, but it cost the Gulls a potentially big inning.
Southern Maine came right back in the top of the seventh and scored three more runs, loading the bases for designated hitter Tucker White (Deerfield, N.H.) who cleared them with a triple down the left field line, part of a 3-6 day for White.
In the bottom of the inning, freshman Harry Oringer (Dartmouth, Mass.) doubled in first baseman Colin Sitarz (Wes Hartford, Conn.), but a single run was all the Gulls could manage. In the ninth, Russo and catcher Chase Sullivan (Cumberland, R.I.) hit back-to-back ground rule doubles down the left field line to plate one more run for Endicott.
Southern Maine freshman starter Alex Tobey (South Berwick, Maine) had a strong outing for the Huskies, pitching six innings of one-run ball, allowing just four hits. Tobey, who improved to 1-2, did not issue a walk or collect a strikeout in his outing.
Tyler Hitchcock (Abington, Mass.) took the loss for Endicott, falling to 1-3 after a two and two-thirds of an inning outing. Hitchcock allowed four earned runs on eight hits but did strike out three Huskies while only issuing one free pass.
The Gulls will be back in action tomorrow at home with another non-conference game. The Bobcats of Bates College will come to town for a 4:00 pm affair.
Southern Maine will play at Saint Joseph’s (Maine) tomorrow, also at 4:00.
