(Box Score) 

            GORHAM, Maine - The University of Southern Maine scored a season-high 14 runs in the second inning Tuesday afternoon en route to a 19-4 victory over Plymouth State University in a Little East Conference game at the USM Baseball Stadium.

            The win was the ninth straight for the fifth-ranked Huskies, who improve to 21-3 overall and
5-1 atop the LEC standings.  The Panthers, who had won three of their last four, slip to 8-14 overall and 1-5 in the LEC.  The two teams will meet again Friday at PSU.

            Southern Maine sent 19 batters to the plate in the second inning, banging out 13 hits and receiving four walks.  The 14-run eruption was highlighted by a grand slam home run by senior Ryan Pike (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy).  The homer was Pike's fifth of the season, and his third grand slam.  Freshman Anthony Pisani (Cheshire, Conn.) had a three-run double in the inning.

            Pisani and senior Andrew Stacy (Denmark, Maine/Fryeburg Academy) paced the Huskies' 20-hit attack with three hits apiece.  In addition to his homer, Pike also had an RBI double and finished the game with five RBI.  Senior Anthony D'Alfonso (Westbrook, Maine) had two hits and four RBI.

            Freshman right-handed starter Brennan Perry (Hampden, Maine) went five innings to pick up his third win of the season. Rookie Dustin Stanton (Cornish, Maine/Sacopee Valley) and sophomore BJ Foley (Portland, Maine/Portland) each pitched two scoreless innings in relief.

            Senior Jay Kleponis (Reading, Mass.) had a pair of two-run doubles for the Panthers.  Sophomore Grant Livingston (Niantic, Conn.) had three singles.  Freshman starter Bobby Chatfield (Sharon, Conn.) was saddled with the loss.

            Southern Maine plays at home on Wednesday (4:00 p.m.) against Colby College.  Plymouth State hosts Colby-Sawyer College on Thursday (3:30 p.m.). 

(Courtesy of Southern Maine Sports Information)   

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