GORHAM, Maine – In a pair of closely contested games on Saturday for UMass Boston Baseball, the difference maker would be two big innings in each game which the Beacons ultimately were on the wrong side of during their Little East Conference doubleheader against the University of Southern Maine, getting swept by the Huskies by final scores of 3-1 and 9-3.
 
THE BASICS
 
UMass Boston 1, University of Southern Maine 3
UMass Boston 3, University of Southern Maine 9
 
UMass Boston (19-12, 7-3 LEC)
University of Southern Maine (12-16, 7-4 LEC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1: UMass Boston 1, University of Southern Maine 3
In a game where scoring opportunities would be hard to come by, only a combined four runners would reach second base for both teams through the first five innings of play against senior pitcher Dillon Ryan and junior pitcher Bryce Afthim. But neither team would breakthrough in the pitchers' duel until the sixth inning when the Beacons struck first for a single run.

Back-to-back doubles to lead off the sixth by junior infielder Bostyn Burris and senior infielder Drew Metzdorf saw UMass Boston go ahead 1-0 before Afthim struck out the next three hitters to escape the inning. Southern Maine would respond with two runs in the bottom of the frame with runners on the corners and one out. Senior catcher Jason Komulainen's RBI single and a two-out RBI single by senior outfielder Brogan Searl-Belanger propelled the Huskies back in front, 2-1, with three innings to play.

Afthim would hold the Beacons in check for the next two innings, while Southern Maine tacked on an insurance run with a sacrifice fly by senior infielder Jonathan Wilson off senior pitcher Thomas Kierce, making it a 3-1 game in the eighth. Holding a two-run lead in the ninth, Afthim would look to finish off the complete game, but UMass Boston would not go down quietly.

A pair of singles from senior catcher Craig Corliss and junior outfielder Luke Leavitt put runners on first and second with two outs, before Afthim came back to retire pinch-hitter Mike Gorham via the strikeout to secure the win for Southern Maine. The junior's complete game saw him allow one run on eight hits while striking out nine and walking one in the victory.
 
 
Game 2: UMass Boston 3, University of Southern Maine 9
The Beacons would once again be the first to strike in game two as senior infielder Gianni Zarrilli Jr.'s solo home run gave UMass Boston a 1-0 lead in the second inning. That would be extended to two runs in the third after an RBI single by Burris who continues to swing a hot bat over the last week for the Beacons.

However, the difference maker in the game would be the fifth inning as six runs would come across the plate for Southern Maine against sophomore pitcher Ross Dexter. The Huskies would tie the game up on an RBI single by junior catcher Cam Seymour and a Dexter wild pitch before the big blow from Komulainen came on his three-run home run with two outs. Southern Maine would make it back-to-back home runs on a solo shot by Wilson to jump ahead by four runs, 6-2, and tack on another in the sixth on another solo home run by junior infielder Janek Luksza.

Metzdorf would get one back for the Beacons on a fielder's choice in the seventh, cutting the deficit to four runs, 7-3, but the bullpen tandem of junior pitchers Lucas Francis and Matt Burnett combined for 2 2/3 scoreless innings while the Huskies added on two more runs to sweep UMass Boston with a 9-3 victory in game two.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Continuing to swing a hot bat, Bostyn Burris finished the doubleheader 5-for-8 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored
• UMass Boston starting pitching accounted for 11 1/3 innings in which they allowed eight runs on 14 hits while striking out 11 batters and walking five
• This is the first time this season UMass Boston has been swept in an LEC doubleheader and third consecutive conference game they have dropped
• This is the first time since 2021 in which UMass Boston has been swept by Southern Maine in their regular season doubleheader

 
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston ends their four-game road trip on Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 PM when they head to Plymouth, New Hampshire to take on Plymouth State University in a Little East Conference single game. Playing at Monan Park earlier in the month, the Beacons won decisively against the Panthers, 11-5.