Southern Maine Bests Baseball, 9-2, On Final Day Of Florida Trip

Winter Haven, FL --- Southern Maine junior Forest Chadwick (Gardiner, ME) was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles while senior Nick Grady (Whitefield, ME) drove in a trio of runners as the Huskies defeated Worcester State, 9-2, in the final game of their spring training trip to Florida at the Chain of Lakes Stadium.

Freshman Sam Dexter (Oakland, ME) started off the game for Southern Maine with a lead-off triple in the bottom of the first before he was driven in by senior Anthony Pisani (Cheshire, CT) for the 1-0 edge.

The Lancers (4-6) quickly evened the score 1-1 on an RBI single by Zach George (Attleboro, MA) who drove in senior Kurt Sabacinski (Worcester, MA/St. Peter-Marian). Sabacinski got on with a safety and he moved into scoring position on an errant throw by the pitcher on a fielder's choice. 

USM (5-1 came right back and notched the go-ahead run on a plated run by junior Troy Thibodeau (Danvers, MA) with two outs. 

The Huskies scored three more times in the bottom of the third for the 5-1 advantage as the scoring was highlighted by a two-run single to left center by Grady.

After Southern Maine tacked on a fielder's choice RBI by junior Matt Verrier (Norway, ME) in the bottom of the fifth, Worcester State got a run back in the top of the seventh to make the score 6-2. 

George led off the frame with a base-knock, reached second on a ground-out before he moved to third on a misplayed chopper by the catcher. George then scampered home on a fielding error by the pitcher coming off the mound to make the play.

Southern Maine, however, put the game away with three runs in the bottom of the seventh for the 9-2 contest.

Grady helped the Huskies take advantage with the bases juiced with an RBI single, Carey chipped in with a sacrifice fly and Grady came around to score on wild throw by the catcher trying to get the runner at second on a stolen base attempt.

Senior Chris Bernard (Scarborough, ME) improved his mark to 2-1 on the season as he went the first five innings giving up just four hits and one unearned run to go with one walk and one strikeout.

Sophomore Andrew Richards (S. Portland, ME) fanned four in his three innings of one-hit relief through the eighth. 

Fourth-year Cruz Rosado (Clinton, MA) absorbed the setback to drop to 0-2 on the season. Rosado yielded up five earned runs on eight hits while he did not ring up anyone on strikes or walk a batter.

Sophomore Ben Libuda (Auburn, MA) was a bright spot out of the bullpen as he gave up just one run in his three frames of work.

Carey, senior Tucker White (Deerfield, NH) and sophomore Jake Glauser (Goffston, NH) all recorded two hits apiece in USM's 15-hit attack while Grady and Chadwick scored twice. White made three trips to home plate. 

George was the lone multi-hitter for the Lancers as he was 2-for-3 in the setback.

Worcester State opens their Northern schedule with Endicott on Tuesday at 3:30 on the road while Southern Maine hosts Depauw in a twinbill tomorrow at 3 PM.