BRUNSWICK, Maine – Junior
Adrian Siravo (Gilmanton, N.H.) allowed just three hits in six scoreless innings but the University of Southern Maine scored twice in the bottom of the tenth to hold off Plymouth State University, 5-4, in a Little East Conference (LEC) baseball game at Pickard Baseball Diamond at Bowdoin College on Tuesday.
Plymouth State plated single runs in the first and seventh to build a 2-0 lead as Siravo put up zero after zero. The Huskies, glad to see Siravo out of the game after 108 pitches, jumped ahead with three runs in the seventh, but PSU answered right back in the eighth to knot the game at 3-3.
Plymouth State took advantage of a throwing error to score the go-ahead run in the top of the tenth but USM battled back. A sacrifice fly evened the score at 4-4 and a base hit just inside the left field line plated the winning run for the Huskies.
Plymouth State slips to 3-9 (0-3 LEC), while the Huskies go to 7-14 (3-4 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 4, Southern Maine 5 (10 Inn.)
- Plymouth State (3-9, 0-3 LEC)
- Southern Maine (7-14, 3-4 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State gave Siravo an early lead in the first. Graduate student Alex Rives (Gilford, N.H.) walked and stole second and sophomore Brendan Flynn (Arlington, Mass.) roped a two-out triple to left for the 1-0 lead.
- Siravo was dealing through five innings, allowing just two singles to make the lead hold. Southern Maine smacked a leadoff double to start the sixth and the potential tying run moved to third on a fly out. The Huskies would load the bases on a pair of walks, but Siravo roared back with back-to-back strikeouts to preserve the lead.
- The Panthers rode the momentum to add to the lead in the next half inning. A hit batter and infield single put two runners on and a ground out advanced them both into scoring position. Senior Jackson Curtis (Jefferson, N.H.) came through with a big two-out hit to score one run, but the trail runner was thrown out at the plate as PSU settled for a 2-0 lead.
- With Siravo out of the game, the Huskies quickly struck with five singles in the bottom of the inning to jump in front, 3-2.
- Senior Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.) and Flynn earned consecutive walks to start the eighth and junior Sam Malgeri (Stratham, N.H.) tied the game on a single to center field.
- Neither team was able to jump ahead in the ninth as the game went into extra innings. Sokolski opened the tenth with a clean single up the middle and Flynn was hit by a pitch. PSU attempted to bunt the runners over, but the Huskies were able to cut down the lead runner for the first out. Malgeri reached on a fielder's choice, but a wild throw by the USM shortstop allowed Flynn to cross the plate with the go-ahead run.
- The Huskies opened the bottom of the inning with a double and the tying run moved to third on a ground ball. A sacrifice fly tied the game and USM followed with a pair of singles before a miscue loaded the bases. With the winning run on third, Southern Maine tucked a base hit inside the left field line for the walk-off.
By the Numbers:
- Flynn reached base five times, posting a single and triple to go with two walks and a hit by pitch. He scored a run and drove in one.
- Sokolski went 2-for-4 with a walk and run scored.
- Curtis posted a multi-hit game with a single and double in five at bats, while junior Scooter Summa (Ellicott City, Md.) was 2-for-4 with a pair of singles.
- Siravo posted his best start of the year with a season-high nine strikeouts. He surrendered just three base hits over his six innings.
- Senior Eoin Hamell-Kelleher (Attleboro, Mass.) allowed just one earned run over the final 3.2 innings.
- The contest was the first extra innings game between the two teams since the 2017 season.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State heads to WestConn for a pair of conference games on Saturday (Apr. 13).
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