For Immediate Release

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

USM RALLIES PAST RHODE ISLAND IN LEC TOURNEY

Bourque hits key three-run HR; Ganley’s ninth-inning single ends game, 9-8
RIC's Mike Naylor Breaks All-Time School Record for Career Runs Scored

MANSFIELD, Conn. – Senior Joe Ganley (KEENE, NH) hit a walk-off single to right center as the third-seeded University of Southern Maine baseball team defeated fourth-seeded Rhode Island College, 9-8, in the first round of the 2007 Little East Conference Baseball Tournament Wednesday night at Eastern Baseball Stadium.

Rhode Island College senior right fielder Mike Naylor (Warwick, RI) broke the all-time school record by scoring his 132nd career run in the loss.

The Huskies (26-13) advance to play second-seeded Keene State (26-11), a 9-8 winner over UMass Boston, at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The Anchormen (21-13) play top-seeded Eastern Connecticut (31-9) in a 3:30 p.m. game on Thursday. Keene State downed USM twice in the ninth inning during regular-season LEC play.

Southern Maine loaded the bases with one out in the ninth as freshman third baseman Josh Mackey (DANVERS, MA) was hit by a pitch for the second time in five plate appearances. Ganley, who replaced senior Pat Kinslow (WESTBROOK, ME) at second base in the fifth, singled to right center scoring freshman first baseman Collin Henry (PENOBSCOT, ME) with the game-winning run. Henry had singled to open the inning and was sacrificed to second by pinch hitter Josh Stowell (PORTLAND, ME).

Rhode Island College led 5-0 after its first three at-bats, but the Huskies later tied the game, 8-8, with five runs in the sixth. Senior right fielder Ryan Bourque (SANFORD, ME), a 2006 second-team All-American, hit a three-run home run and senior catcher Max Arsenault (BOOTHBAY, ME) followed with a solo bomb in the inning. It was Bourque’s team-leading ninth home run and Arsenault’s fourth of the season. Bourque went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and five RBIs.

Leading, 6-3, RIC increased its lead to 8-3 in the top of the sixth on sophomore shortstop Josh Cardoso’s (DARTMOUTH, MA) two-run home run. It was the third homer in the game for the Anchormen. Junior first baseman Jim Connell (SMITHFIELD, RI) hit a solo home run in the second and senior catcher Tim Henault (EAST GREENWICH, RI) belted a solo homer in the fourth. Connell had a two-run single in the four-run third.

Southern Maine sophomore right-hander Tim Therrian (NEW PORTLAND, ME) pitched three scoreless relief innings to record the win. Therrian (2-2) allowed one hit, walked two and struck out four. Rhode Island College freshman righty Paul Vatter (WARWICK, RI) allowed the game-winning run in the ninth. Vatter (3-4) walked two, struck out three and allowed three hits after taking over for junior righty Eric Thibault (SOMERSET, MA) after USM’s six-run sixth.

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