FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Plymouth State University baseball team saw its losing streak extended to four games Monday evening with a doubleheader loss to Amherst College.  The Lord Jeffs took the opener 17-3 and followed with an 8-3 triumph in the nightcap in the annual Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic.

            The highlights for the Panthers were provided by senior Brandon Hodge (Bradford, Vt.) and sophomore Steve Picco (Marshfield, Mass.) Hodge went 3-for-4 in the first game with an RBI triple in the first inning and a solo home run in the fourth. Picco reached base in all three plate appearances in the opener on two singles and a hit-by-pitch, and went 2-for-3 in the nightcap for a four-hit day.

            Three Panther pitchers were tagged for 16 hits in the opener; freshman Seth Labossiere (Lincoln, R.I.) started and worked three innings and took the loss.  Two PSU hurlers surrendered 13 hits in the nightcap; junior Joey Brayton (Medfield, Mass.) pitched the first five innings and suffered the setback.

            After six games in three days, PSU (1-5) has Tuesday off and will return to the diamond Wednesday with two games, facing Illinois College at 10:00 a.m. and Nichols College at 1:00 p.m.  Amherst improved its record to 3-1.

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