Coaches Perrone, Winkin renew friendly rivalry

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GULFPORT, Fla. – John Winkin and Ken Perrone have each been coaching baseball for at least 50 years. Friday morning, the venerable diamond dandies came together on the same field.

The Maine coaching legends were opponents as Winkin’s Husson College ballclub and Perrone’s Salem State College squad squared off at Hoyt Field near St. Petersburg.

The Salem State squad pulled out a 6-4 victory in the renewal of what has become an annual Florida rivalry.

“We’ve had great games and I love seeing John,” said Perrone, whose team has won four of the last five meetings.

In a night game at St. Leo, Fla., Brewer’s Justin Spencer knocked in six runs in the Eagles’ 8-6 victory over Fontbonne University of St. Louis. Husson (8-5) concludes its southern swing today with a 9:30 a.m. game against Webster University (Mo.).

“That guarantees that we’ll have a winning trip,” Winkin said Friday night. “We’ve had a successful trip.”

Winkin earned his place in Maine sports history during a stellar coaching career with the University of Maine baseball program, which he guided to regional dominance and national notice during the 1970s and ’80s.

Perrone carved his niche in football, directing the Brewer High School football team to an undefeated season, a Class A state championship, and a national ranking in 1970.

While each has amassed more than 1,000 career baseball victories, they remain passionate about their craft.

Winkin is the elder of the two at age 86 but continues to pace the dirt near the dugout when game situations get tense. Perrone, 71, is comfortable seated in a lawn chair beside his dugout but demonstrates tremendous energy and enthusiasm.

They have a common link in former UMaine baseball coach Jack Butterfield, who was Perrone’s college coach and Winkin’s predecessor in Orono.

“Wink’s like my mentor,” Perrone said. “He’s 86 and I said if he can do it [continue coaching], hopefully I can stay alive and do it.”

Friday night, Spencer collected four hits with runners in scoring position to propel Husson to victory. The senior outfielder slammed a two-run home run in the first inning, an RBI single in the third, a run-scoring single in the sixth and a two-run triple in the eighth.

“It’s definitely a long day. I’m so tired right now,” Spencer said. “It was a good win for us.”

Jason Harvey singled three times, while Dan White and Jeff Miller added two hits each in the Eagles’ 13-hit attack.

Righthander Sam Adolphsen spread out 10 hits and five earned runs over seven-plus innings. He held Fontbonne (3-10) hitless in four innings.

“We started a sophomore pitcher and that was his first start,” Winkin said. “He did a good job.”

Jim Gray worked two scoreless innings to earn the save.

“That was a big relief stint for us,” Winkin said. “He pitched a no-hitter earlier in the trip.”

Husson led 6-3 when it added two huge runs in the eighth inning. Adam Sheehan drew a leadoff walk and Brian McGinley was hit by a pitch with one out.

After White hit into a fielder’s choice, Spencer drilled a triple to the warning track in right-center.

The Griffins chased Adolphsen with four consecutive hits to open the eighth to make it 8-5. Dan Horn greeted Gray with a bunt single on which third baseman Sheehan threw low to first, allowing a run to score.

However, Gray retired the next three batters to hold the lead.

Friday morning, Salem State (10-1) scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to earn the victory. Scott Lynch pitched three innings of scoreless relief, working his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to help the Vikings hold on.

The Vikings broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh against Husson reliever John Tefft (0-2). Ken Luongo cranked a leadoff double to left, Jason Sabone bunted him over, then Casey Melchionno lashed an RBI single to left.

Salem State added an insurance run in the eighth on Mike Addesa’s sacrifice fly to center.

Devin Potvin led Husson with an RBI double and a single while Harvey, Chris McInnis, and Spencer singled twice apiece.

Marc Crovo paced Salem with three singles.

VIKINGS 6, EAGLES 4

(Friday Morning)

Husson (7-5) Salem State (10-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

White, 2b 4 0 1 0 Crovo, c 4 2 0

Spencer, cf 5 0 2 0 Gelentano, rf 3 0 0

Harvey, ss 5 1 2 0 Lyons, ss 2 0 0

Brawn, dh 4 0 0 0 Addesa, 3b 4 0 1

Patterson, 1b 5 1 1 1 Luongo, dh 4 0

McInnis, rf 4 1 2 0 Sablone, 1b 3 0 0

Potvin, c 4 1 2 1 Melchionno, lf 4 1 1

McGinley, c 0 0 0 0 Lougee, rf 4 1 2

Miller, lf 3 0 0 0 Cunningham, 2b 3 1 0

Thomas, ph 1 0 1 0

Shannon, pr 0 0 0 0

Sheehan, 3b 4 0 0 0

Totals 39 4 11 2 Totals 31 6 11 4

Husson 000 130 000 – 4

Salem State 120 001 11x – 6

E-Patterson; Cunningham, Addesa, Lyons; LOB-Husson 12, Salem State 11; 2B-Potvin, Harvey; Crovo, Sablone, Luongo; HR-Lougee; DP-Lyons-Cunningham-Sablone, Lyons-Sablone; S-Gelentano, Sablone; SF-Addesa; SB-McInnis; Melchionno 2, Crovo 2, Lyons, Gelentano, Cunningham

Husson IP H R ER BB SO

DeRosa 6 8 4 4 4 5

Tefft (L) 2 3 2 2 1 0

Salem State IP H R ER BB SO

Middleton 6 9 4 2 1 1

Lynch (W) 3 2 0 0 0 1

HBP-Lyons (by DeRosa); White (by Lynch); WP-DeRosa; T-2:03

EAGLES 8, GRIFFINS 6

(Friday Night)

Husson (8-5) Fontbonne (3-10)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

White, 2b 5 3 2 0 Bauman, cf 5 1 1

Spencer, cf 5 1 4 6 Lundy, 3b 4 0 1

Harvey, ss 5 1 3 0 Jorel, 2b 5 1 0

Brawn, dh 5 0 1 1 Hein, 1b 5 2 1

Patterson, 1b 5 0 0 0 a-Grover 0 0

McInnis, rf 5 0 0 0 Pagano, dh 4 1 0

Sheehan, 3b 2 2 0 0 Almany, ss 5 0 1

Miller, lf 4 0 2 0 Horn, c 3 0 1 1

McGinley, c 2 1 1 0 Buerck, rf 5 0 0

Hoker, lf 4 1 1 0

Totals 38 8 13 7 Totals 40 6 12 5

Husson 202 011 20 – 8

Fontbonne 012 000 30 – 6

E-Sheehan 2, McGinley; Horn, Buerck, Horn; LOB-Husson 7; Fontbonne 10; 2B-Sheehan; Hein; 3B-Spencer; Bauman, Jorel; HR-Spencer; S-McGinley; Pagano; SB-Sheehan, Spencer 2

Husson IP H R ER BB SO

Adolphsen (W) 7 10 6 5 0 4

Gray (S) 2 2 0 0 0 2

Fontbonne IP H R ER BB SO

Smith (L) 7 2/3 13 8 7 2 6

Mueller 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 2

HBP-Smith (by Adolphsen); WP-Smith; T-2:45; ATT-25