Southern Maine reaches Little East title contest

MANSFIELD, Conn. – The University of Southern Maine scored five runs in the sixth inning to snap a tie on its way to a 12-6 victory over UMass Dartmouth in the losers’ bracket of the Little East Conference baseball championship.

The Huskies advance to today’s championship round, where they’ll have to beat host Eastern Connecticut twice. A noon game would be followed by a 4 p.m. contest, if necessary.

USM had beaten Keene State 5-4 earlier Friday.

In Friday’s second game, Joe McGhee hit an RBI single and Nick Vardaro stroked a two-run single in the pivotal sixth inning. Vardaro finished with a triple, three singles and four RBIs to pace USM.

Tip Fairchild homered and singled (2 RBIs), while Brandon Brewer doubled and singled. Chris Waymon doubled and singled for the losers.

In the opener, Fairchild pitched six innings of scoreless relief as the Huskies stayed alive by beating Keene State.

Fairchild scattered five hits, giving USM a chance to come back. Marshall hit a three-run homer in the fifth to tie the game, before a walk and a three-base error provided the winning run in the eighth.

Ryan Bourque tripled and singled, Vardaro doubled and singled and Marshall added a single for the Huskies. Justin Hickman homered and doubled for Keene State.

(First Game)

So. Maine 001 030 010 – 5 9 1

Keene State (14-23) 010 300 000 – 4 9 2

Armandi, Fairchild (4) and McGhee; Stromgren, Dimitruk (8) and Brainger

(Second Game)

UMass Dart. (25-15) 020 011 110 – 6 9 5

So. Maine (31-12-1) 022 005 30x – 12 16 4

DeCosta, Cronin (6), Thompson (6), Griswold (6), Maclean (7) and Macone; Kent, Handy (2), Fairchild (7) and McGhee