PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore Griffin Crane (Lancaster, N.H.) homered twice and drove in a career-high five runs in game one, but Plymouth State University dropped a pair of games to #20 University of Southern Maine at Parish Field on Thursday afternoon.
 
After falling behind early, Crane's three-run blast helped the Panthers rally for a 6-5 lead through three. The right fielder socked a two-run shot the next inning, but the Huskies, ranked #20 in this week's D3baseball.com/NCBWA poll, scored eight times in the final two innings for a 19-8 win in game one.
 
USM put up a six-spot in the top of the first of game two, but senior Andrew Wasilefsky (Willington, Conn.) launched a grand slam, his fourth dinger of the year, in the bottom half as the Panthers tried to keep things close. Southern Maine's potent offense continued to put up runs, however, taking the nightcap by a 21-9 margin.
 
The first contest counted as a Little East Conference (LEC) game, while game two was considered non-conference.
 
Prior to game two, Plymouth State honored the team's graduating class; Gavin Cook (Littleton, N.H.), James Salta (Laconia, N.H.), Andrew Salta (Laconia, N.H.), Mark Berryman (Lancaster, N.H.), Erick Zecha (Keene, N.H.), Joe Routhier (Nashua, N.H.), Brody Fillion (Littleton, N.H.), Patrick O'Regan (Haverhill, Mass.), Mark Levesque (Milton, N.H.), Peter Laviolette (Longboat Key, Fla.) and Wasilefsky in a brief Senior Day ceremony.
 
Plymouth State ends the day with an 8-13 mark (4-9 LEC), while Southern Maine improves to 23-8 and 10-4 in league play.
 
The Basics:

• Game 1: Plymouth State 8, Southern Maine 19 (8 Inn.)
• Game 2: Plymouth State 9, Southern Maine 21 (8 Inn.)
  • Plymouth State (8-13, 4-9 LEC)
  • Southern Maine (23-8, 10-4 LEC)

 
How it Happened (Game One):

• The visitors got on the board early with a single run in the top of the first.
• The Huskies added four in the third to push the lead to 5-0.
• Plymouth State rallied in the bottom of the inning. A. Salta singled and after a walk to freshman Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.), Crane launched a three-run shot to right center. Later in the inning, junior Drew Metzdorf (Burlington, Mass.) singled and stole second, followed by free passes to Wasilefsky and Laviolette. Routhier drove in two with a single as the Panthers went ahead, 6-5.
• The lead was short-lived, though, as a walk and back-to-back doubles pushed USM back in front the next half inning and the Huskies would add two more runs for a 9-6 advantage.
• Sokolski led off the bottom of the frame with a single and Crane socked his second dinger of the game to cut the deficit to 9-8.
• The visitors used a two-out hit to score two runs in the top of the fifth, then added another pair of runs in the seventh to extend the lead to 13-8.
• USM put the game out of reach with six runs in the top of the eighth.

By the Numbers (Game One):

• Sokolski reached base all five times, going 3-for-3 with a pair of walks and two runs scored.
• Crane drove in five and scored twice after his 2-for-5 effort with two dingers.
• J. Salta and Routhier also had two-hit games, with Routhier driving in two.
• Sophomore Braxton Brown (Lancaster, N.H.) suffered the loss (1-1) after going the first 3.1 innings.

 
How it Happened (Game Two):

• USM ran out to a 6-0 lead in the first as the Huskies' bats stayed hot.
• PSU came right back in the bottom of the inning as three straight walks loaded the bases and Wasilefsky turned on a pitch and drove it over the high fence in right field for a grand slam.
• Southern Maine added two runs in the next half inning.
• Junior Bryan McGrath (Franklin, Mass.) walked and came around to score on Sokolski's double to cut the margin to 8-5 after two.
•  The Huskies relentless offense continued to put runs on the board, plating nine runs over the next three innings for a 17-5 advantage.
• Plymouth State attempted to rally, as McGrath drove in a run in the fifth and Fillion knocked in a run in the sixth.
• Crane added an RBI single in the seventh to make it 17-8 and a bases loaded walk to Wasilefsky forced in PSU's ninth run.
• USM put to bed any thoughts of a comeback with a four-run eighth.

By the Numbers (Game Two):

• Sokolski (double, two singles), A. Salta (three singles) and McGrath (double, two singles) all had three hits, while Wasilefsky finished 2-for-4 with five runs batted in.
• McGrath and Sokolski each scored a pair of runs and Fillion and Crane each singled and walked twice.
• Levesque surrendered eight runs over the first two innings, though just one was earned. He fell to 0-1.

 
Up Next:

• Plymouth State heads to Rhode Island College for an LEC double header tomorrow (May 7) with first pitch of game one set for noon.