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Maine Takes 12-2 Win Over Southern Mississippi
June 4, 2005
OXFORD, MS-- The University of Maine baseball team recorded the biggest win in the last 15 years with a 12-2 victory over Southern Mississippi in the Oxford Regional of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday afternoon in Oxford, MS. The Black Bears improve to 35-18 on the season. Southern Mississippi falls to 41-21 on the season and are eliminated from the tournament. The Black Bears will face Oklahoma on Sunday, June 5 at 2:00 p.m. The win was the first NCAA Tournament win for Maine since the 1991 season. Maine also set the school record for double plays in a season with its 62nd double play of the season. Maine jumped out to an early 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff batter Joe Hough (West Roxbury, Mass.) homered to right field. For Hough, it was his sixth home run of the season with an estimated distance of 400 feet. Joel Barrett (Brewer, Maine) reached on an error. Ryan Quintal (Manchester, N.H.) followed with a single to right field. Aaron Izaryk (Markham, Ontario) singled to left field scoring Barrett. Curt Smith (Curacao, Netherlands) singled to right field to load the bases. Matt McGraw (Burlington, Ontario) ripped a double down the left field line scoring both Quintal and Izaryk. Ray Vallee (Augusta, Maine) singled to right field scoring both Smith and McGraw to give Maine the 6-0 early lead. Smith led off the third inning with a home run to left center field. For Smith, it was his third home run of the season. McGraw followed with a home run that was estimated to .390 to left center field. It was the second home run of the season for McGraw.
Southern Miss loaded the bases in the top of the sixth inning, but Maine pitcher Steve Richard got out without letting the Golden Eagles score a run. Maine came back in the bottom of the sixth inning and added to its lead. Hough led off the inning with a double to deep right field, his fourth hit of the game. Greg Creek (Manchester, Maine) grounded out to the first baseman and Hough advanced to third. Quintal followed with a single to left field scoring Hough to give Maine a 9-0 lead. Maine continued to add to its lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Smith tripled to right center field and scored when the second baseman overthrew the head of the third baseman and the ball went into the stands. Creek hit a double in the bottom of the eighth inning and Quintal followed with a two-run home run to right field. For Quintal, it was his seventh home run of the season. Steve Richard was brilliant for Maine on the mound. He went 6.2 innings and allowed no runs on five hits. He threw 131 pitches on the day where the temperature was in the mid 90's. He improves to 9-1 on the season. Scott Robinson (Ajax, Ontario) pitched the final 2.1 innings and allowed two runs on four hits. |
