HARWICH, Massachusetts — A two-out error opened the door for a four-run first inning, then Salem State tacked on five runs in the second en route to a 10-1 baseball victory over the University of Southern Maine on Thursday in the NCAA Division III New England Regional at Whitehouse Field.
Mike Richardson (7-2) scattered five hits and a run over eight innings with four strikeouts and one walk to keep the Vikings in the winners’ bracket. Matt Abrain worked a scoreless ninth.
Starter Tyler Leavitt (5-2) surrendered six hits and eight runs (four earned) in one-plus innings for the Huskies of Gorham. He fanned two and walked two.
Salem State (27-13) takes on the Ramapo-Curry winner on Friday at 4:30 p.m. USM (32-14) will try to stave off elimination starting with a 10 a.m. game against Wesleyan.
Richard Fecteau sparked the Salem State offense with three singles and three RBIs, while Andrew Deloury (double) and Kevin Carens each posted three hits. Ryan Beliveau drove in five runs with a triple and a double.
Matt Bender singled twice and Damon Wallace hit a double among only six hits for USM.
Salem State’s first-inning rally started with singles by Carens and Fecteau and a walk to Dan Connors. Colton Fontaine followed with a grounder to third base, but the catcher could not handle the throw, allowing the first run to score.
One out later, Beliveau drilled a three-run double to left-center.
The Vikings put the game out of reach in the second when Deloury singled, Carens laid down a bunt single and the pair executed a double steal. Mike Davis walked, setting up Fecteau’s two-run single down the line in right.
Leavitt was lifted in favor of Bobby Delaney, who retired Connors on a sacrifice fly but walked Fontaine. One out later, Beliveau plated two runs with a triple to make it 9-0.
The Huskies finally scored in the eighth when Wallace led off with a double and scored on Sam Dexter’s one-out sacrifice fly.