BOSTON — The top-seeded University of Massachusetts Boston Beacons built an early 5-0 lead, and then hung on over the final three innings to defeat the second-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies 5-3 in an elimination game of the Little East Conference Championship Tournament Thursday at Monan Field.
The loss eliminates the Huskies, the defending champions, from the tournament after two straight losses. USM lost its opener to Eastern Connecticut State University 13-6 on Wednesday.
The Huskies, 29-13 overall, now must wait until Monday morning to hear if they receive an at-large berth to the NCAA national championship tournament that begins next week.
UMass Boston, now 27-13 overall including three wins over USM, survives to play Friday.
Junior Dan Mantoni led the Beacons going 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and one RBI, and hurling seven innings on the hill allowing one run on six hits and four walks while striking out seven.
Junior Dave Murphy hit a two-run homer to highlight the Beacons’ three-run inning. The home run was the third this season for Murphy against the Huskies.
UMB scored twice in the fifth on a pair of bases-loaded walks to rookie Ryan Olivo and junior Anthony Searles to push their lead up to 5-0.
Southern Maine outhit UMB 11-6, but left 11 base runners stranded. Seniors Sam Dexter and Jake Glauser and junior Paul McDonough had two hits apiece for the Huskies. Dexter had the Huskies lone extra-base hit, a double down the left field line in the eighth inning.