BOSTON — Eastern Connecticut State roughed up University of Southern Maine pitchers for 16 hits, including seven for extra bases, on Wednesday to post a 13-6 victory in the first round of the Little East Conference Baseball Championships at Monan Park.
The Warriors (20-17) scored four runs in the first inning against USM ace Shyler Scates and never looked back, putting up crooked numbers in three other innings.
Fifth-seeded ECSU advances to play the winner of the UMass Dartmouth-Plymouth State game in a 7 p.m. contest on Thursday. No. 2 Southern Maine (29-12) takes on top seed UMass Boston (26-13) in a noon elimination game in the six-team, double-elimination tourney.
Alex Parkos paced ECSU with a three-run home run and an RBI single, while D.J. Scavone knocked in three runs with two doubles and a single. Alex Zachary (2 RBIs) homered and doubled for the winners, while Chad Adams (double), Tim Budd (double) and Pat Sirois contributed two hits apiece.
Alexander White stroked a three-run double in support of Jordan Muchin (5-1), who spaced 10 hits and three runs through 5⅔ innings to get the win. Nick Rascati and Sam Kosterich covered the last 3⅓ innings.
Scates (7-2) surrendered eight hits and seven earned runs in only 4⅓ innings for USM. Sam Stauble and Nick Dibiase each collected three singles and an RBI, while Nick Bowie (double, RBI) and Brandon Martins posted two hits each.
Jake Glauser added a run-scoring single and a sacrifice fly for the Huskies, who finished with 14 hits.