WATERVILLE, Maine - The University of Maine at Farmington (8-19, 6-8) baseball team built early advantages in both games of a North Atlantic Conference (NAC) doubleheader on Wednesday but was unable to maintain the lead as Thomas College completed the sweep. The Terriers (13-16, 11-7) earned a 6-3 victory in game one and an 8-3 win in game two.
Game One; Thomas 6 - Farmington 3
After a scoreless first inning, Farmington got to Thomas starting pitcher Ian Libby in the top of the second. Senior infielder Tyler Rosa (Morgan Hill, Calif.) started the inning with a leadoff single to right and then moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt. Lucas Harmon (Monmouth, Maine) followed with an RBI single to right-center to make it a 1-0 game.
After a sac bunt moved Harmon to second, back-to-back hit-by-pitches loaded the bases with just one out. Matt Marquis (Monmouth, Maine) followed by hitting a ground ball to short that was thrown away, allowing everyone to reach safely and Harmon to score, making it 2-0. Ike Wrigley (Farmington, Maine) followed and grounded out, but Sam Parsell (Newington, Conn.) came in to score as the Beavers opened up a three-run lead.
The lead did not last a full inning, as the Terriers answered in a big way, scoring four runs to take a 4-3 lead. Consecutive walks, followed by a bunt single from Grady Hotham, loaded the bases with the top of the Terrier lineup due up. Hayden Dippner and Nick Griffel each hit sac flies to push across the first two runs of the inning. DJ Cagnina followed with an RBI double, and Ajay Rychcik then hit an infield single that allowed Cagnina to score, giving the Terriers the lead.
The middle innings were quiet, as the two teams combined for just three hits—all singles—in the third and fourth innings.
Thomas picked up a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth as Gus Hollen provided a big swing, launching a two-run home run to make it a 6-3 game.
The Beavers threatened in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with just one out, but Andrew Rapoza, who had come on out of the bullpen, induced a pop out and a fly out to end the Farmington threat.
Farmington went in order in the seventh as Thomas secured the 6-3 win in the front end of the doubleheader.
Stat Leaders - Farmington
Sam Parsell; 1-for-2, 1 run, HBP
Ike Wrigley; 1-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI
Lucas Harmon; 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 run
Tyler Rosa; 1-for-3, 1 run
Stat Leaders - Thomas
Gus Hollen; 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, 1 run
DJ Cagnina; 1-for-3, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 run, BB
Jeremy Spencer; 1-for-2, 1 run, BB
Nick Griffel; 1-for-2, 1 RBI, HBP
On the Mound - Farmington
William Buchholz (L, 0-4); 1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 0 K
Max Bryan; 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
On the Mound - Thomas
Ian Libby (W, 4-2); 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Sam O'Connor; 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Andrew Rapoza (S, 2); 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Game Two; Thomas 8 - Farmington 3
For the second time in as many games, the Beavers mounted an early lead, this time doing so in the top of the first inning. Marquis led off the game with a single, and Wrigley then reached via an error to put runners at first and second. After a strikeout, Brady Vincent (Auburn, Maine) came through with an RBI single up the middle to make it a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Harmon delivered his second RBI single of the day to stretch the lead to two.
Thomas got on the board in the bottom of the second, putting together a two-out rally off Farmington starting pitcher Jameson Bloch. Hollen started the rally with a single to left-center and then moved to second on a passed ball. Adam Lafond followed with an RBI single, cutting Farmington's lead in half.
The Beavers quickly got the run back in the top of the third with a two-out rally of their own. Vincent started the rally with a double down the right field line, and Bloch helped his own cause by singling up the middle to bring home Vincent, making it a 3-1 game.
Thomas delivered the decisive blow in the bottom of the fourth, scoring seven runs to open up an 8-3 lead. Singles from Gavin Clark and Lafond sandwiched a walk to Hollen that loaded the bases with nobody out. Patrick Temby followed by drawing a walk that forced Bloch out of the ballgame.
Kaleb Hussey (Topsham, Maine) took over on the mound for Bloch and got Hotham to fly out for the first out of the inning. Dippner followed with a walk that tied the game, and Jeremy Spencer then hit into a fielder's choice that gave the Terriers the lead. Cagnina followed with a two-run double, and Rychcik then blasted a two-run shot, and all of a sudden the Beavers were down five.
The Beavers had single baserunners in the fifth and seventh innings as the Terrier pitching closed out their second victory of the day.
Stat Leaders - Farmington
Brady Vincent; 2-for-3, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 run
Lucas Harmon; 2-for-3, 1 RBI
Jameson Bloch; 1-for-3, 1 RBI
Stat Leaders - Thomas
Ajay Rychcik; 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBIs, 1 run
DJ Cagnina; 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, 1 run
Adam Lafond; 2-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 run
Gus Hollen; 1-for-2, 2 runs, BB
On the Mound - Farmington
Jameson Bloch (L, 4-5); 3.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
Kaleb Hussey; 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Trent Holman; 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Will Spratt; 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
On the Mound - Thomas
Brody Walsh (W, 1-2); 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
Ankit Shah; 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Kyle Delano; 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
UP NEXT
The Beavers will travel to Bangor this weekend for a four-game series with Husson University. Game one on Saturday is set for 1:00 PM.
