'GORHAM, Maine  --  Freshman relief pitcher Josh Connors (Winthrop, Mass./Catholic Memorial) picked up the win in both games of a Little East Conference baseball doubleheader Saturday as the University of Southern Maine

Huskies swept the Keene State College Owls by scores of 9-6 and 7-6 at the USM Baseball Stadium.

The sweep improves the Huskies' records to 17-9 overall and 7-2 in the conference, and moves them into first place in the LEC standings.  The Huskies have won nine of their last 10 games.  Keene State, which came into the

doubleheader as the conference leader, drops to 22-11 overall and 7-3 in conference play.

Connors entered the first game in the sixth inning with two on and one out, got out of the jam without further damage, and went on to hurl 3.2 innings of no-hit relief.  He walked two, struck out three and picked up the win when the Huskies rallied for three runs in the eight inning to snap a 6-6 tie. 

Displaying an outstanding curveball, Connors came into the second game with the bases loaded in the fifth inning and struck out the first batter he faced to end that threat.  He pitched 3.2 innings, allowing five hits and two runs,

walked none and fanned three.  He picked up the win, his fourth of the season, with save help from senior Brett Rogers (Orr's Island, Maine/Mt. Ararat) in the

ninth.

In the opening game, the teams combined for 24 hits and nine errors in the game.  The Owls jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first with three unearned runs as USM committed three errors.  Junior C John Grainger (Keene, N.H.) had a two-run single to bring in the first two runs and scored the third on an infield error.

The Owls added single runs in the next three innings to build a 6-1 lead before the Huskies began their comeback.  The Huskies would tally three in the fourth and single runs in the fifth and sixth to forge a 6-6 tie.  The run in the sixth came in on a lead-off solo home run by freshman LF Ryan Pike (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy).

USM would get the winning runs in the eighth.  Sophomore LF-1B Eddie Skeffington (Everett, Mass.) drew a bases loaded walk to force in the go ahead run, and junior DH Joe McGhee (Walpole, Mass.) smacked a two-out, two-run single to add a pair of insurance runs.

In the second game, it was the Huskies who jumped out to the early lead, then had to hold off the Owls comeback bid.

The Huskies combined six hits, a hit batsman, a balk and two KSC errors to score six runs.  Junior 2B Nick Vardaro (Norwood, Mass.) drove in the first run with a single, and freshman CF Chris Burleson (Portland, Maine/Deering) followed with a two run single.  A single by Skeffington and a hit batter loaded the bases for McGhee.

McGhee's pop up was ruled an infield fly, but the wind pushed the ball into short left field where tipped off the Keene State infielder's glove.  Burleson scored after the ball was dropped, and the other runners advanced on a throwing error by the Keene State outfielder trying to throw Burleson out at home.

Junior C Max Arsenault (Boothbay, Maine) followed with an RBI single, and the final run scored on an infield error.

The Owls put up four runs in the fifth inning to chase USM sophomore starter Adam Ross (Spruce Head,Maine/Rockland).  Freshmen CF Jeff Perkins (Dunbarton, N.H./Goffstown) and 2B James Chevalier (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) walked with the bases loaded to force home the first two runs.  Senior DH Jeremy Schilling (Centerville, Mass./Barnstable) brought in two more with a single to chased Ross.  A fielder's choice loaded the bases, and Connors came on to record a strikeout to end the inning.

Southern Maine got a single run on a solo homer by Burleson in the seventh. Keene State got one on a solo homer by Grainger in the eighth to pull back

within one.

The Owls nicked Connors for another run in the ninth on an RBI single by Chevalier that brought Rogers into the game.  Rogers fanned the first batter he faced, walked the next to put the potential go ahead run on base, then struck out the final batter to record the save.

Southern Maine is scheduled to host Wheaton College in a doubleheader Sunday (12:00 p.m.).  Keene State returns to action on Wednesday (4:00 p.m.) hosting Becker College.

(Courtesy USM Sports Information)