GORHAM, Maine – Senior
Bryan McGrath (Franklin, Mass.) matched a career-high with five runs batted in, but Plymouth State University was nipped at the University of Southern Maine, 8-7, in a Little East Conference (LEC) game at Ed Flaherty Field on Monday afternoon.
McGrath gave PSU a first-inning lead with a run-scoring single and, after the Panthers fell behind 7-3 in the middle innings, his towering shot to left field in the sixth inning cleared the wall for a game-tying grand slam. The Huskies retook the lead in the bottom of the frame.
Plymouth State got the tying run to second in the seventh and had a leadoff single in the ninth but were unable to tie the game.
Plymouth State dips to 11-19 (3-11 LEC), while Southern Maine improves to 15-17 and 10-4 in the Little East.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 7, Southern Maine 8
- Plymouth State (11-19, 3-11 LEC)
- Southern Maine (15-17, 10-4 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Senior Alex Rives (Gilford, N.H.) reached on an error to start the game and with one down junior Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.) singled. McGrath followed with a single to right for a 1-0 lead.
- Southern Maine pushed two runs across in the second to go ahead.
- PSU loaded the bases in the third on Sokolski's single, a hit batter and an error, but the Panthers were unable to get the big hit.
- The Huskies came right back with a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning to extend the lead to 5-1.
- Freshman Chris Faherty (Phoenix, Ariz.) and sophomore Scooter Summa (Ellicott City, Md.) singled to start the fourth and Rives knocked in a run with a ground out.
- USM got the run back in the bottom of the inning.
- McGrath walked and after a single from senior Griffin Crane (Lancaster, N.H.), sophomore Sam Malgeri (Stratham, N.H.) rocked a double to center field to pull within 6-3, but once again the Huskies countered in the home half as a leadoff homer pushed the lead back to four.
- Rives reached on an error with one down in the sixth and singles from junior Jackson Curtis (Jefferson, N.H.) and Sokolski loaded the bases. McGrath followed with a towering shot just over the leaping glove of the left fielder for a game-tying grand slam.
- Southern Maine got a leadoff triple in the home half and the Huskies were able to retake the lead.
- Rives beat out an infield hit to start the seventh and moved into scoring position on a ground out, but the Panthers were unable to get the big hit to drive him in.
- Freshman Tyler Hicks (Jefferson, N.H.) singled up the middle to open the ninth, but the Huskies were able to hold onto the lead.
By the Numbers:
- McGrath finished 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and five RBI. He previously drove in five runs in a game last spring.
- Sokolski had a three-hit game, finishing 3-for-5 with a run scored, while Malgeri (double, single) and Crane (two singles) also posted multi-hit games.
- Senior Eoin Hamell-Kelleher (Attleboro, Mass.) went the first 5.2 innings before giving way to sophomore Jason Smith (Charlestown, Mass.) Smith worked two full innings without allowing a run, and classmate Nick Wilson (Mont Vernon, N.H.) recorded one out.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State closes out the season with a trip to league-leading Rhode Island College on Friday (May 5) for a pair of conference games.
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