'KEENE, N.H. 4/20/03 – Mike MAeur's (Warwick, R.I.) game-winning double in the bottom of the ninth inning gave Keene State College a 9-8 opening game victory over the University of Southern ME in a Little East Conference baseball doubleheader played Sunday in Keene.

It was Keene State's first victory against Southern ME since joining the Little East in 1998.  USM had defeated KSC 14 straight games prior to Sunday's win.

Southern ME came back to take the second game 11-5.

In the first game, the Owls took a 8-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning after Nick Bujeaud (Lincoln, N.H.) scored on a double steal and Eric Kilburn (Keene, N.H.) had a two run triple to center.

The Huskies scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game at 8-all. Tyler Delorme (Enosburg Falls, Vt.) had a two-run single and Brian Marshall (Danvers, MA.) had a sacrifice fly to score the tying run.

In the bottom of the ninth, Pat Austin (Wallingford, CT) reached on an error and was sacrificed to second base by Tim Kendrick (Middletown, R.I.). That set the stage for MAeur who hit Tip Fairchild's (Monmouth, Me.) first pitch into right-center to plate Austin with the game winning run.

"I've been struggling at the plate, so I was just looking for a good pitch to hit," said MAeur.  "He gave me one on the first pitch and I was able to get us the win."

Jeremy Schilling (Centerville, MA.)  had three hits and Justin Hickman (Mont Vernon, N.H.) and Kendrick finished with two hits each for KSC.  Adam Lemieux  (Cumberland, Me.) had three hits for USM.

Corey Hartson (Merrimack, N.H.) got the win (1-0) in relief of starter Buzzy Francis (Bedford, N.H.) who pitched into the eighth inning.  Fairchild (0-2) took the loss for USM.

Holding a slim 2-1 lead, Southern ME broke open the second game with a five-run sixth inning. Delorme, Fairchild and Josh Watkins (Keene, N.H.) had RBI hits for USM in the inning.

Kendrick had a solo shot home run to lead off the third for KSC.  Pat McCarthy (Medford, MA.), who had four hits in the game, had a home run for USM in the fifth.

Schilling added three more hits and two RBIs for KSC in the game.  Bujeaud and Kilburn also had a pair of hits.

Austin, who started for KSC, suffered his first loss of the season (2-1). Ryan Johnston (Littleton, MA.) picked up the win (3-0) for the Huskies.

Keene State goes to 8-15 (3-4 LEC) while USM is now 17-11 (6-1 LEC).

Delorme became USM's all-time hit leader (257 hits) with his single in the seventh inning of the second game.