MANSFIELD, Conn. - Mike Eaton (Sabattus, Maine) pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to gain the win on the mound and drove in the decisive run with a single in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift second-seeded University of Southern Maine to a 5-4 win over in-state foe Husson University Wednesday night in the opening round of the NCAA Division III New England Regional Tournament at the Eastern Baseball Stadium.  

The win in the final of four games on the first day lifts Southern Maine (36-7) into a winners' bracket game Thursday night at 7:45 against 2008 national champion Trinity College. The third-seeded Bantams advanced with a 6-4 win over sixth-seeded Westfield State College. The Eagles (31-13) need a win over the Owls Thursday at 1:15 p.m. to remain alive.  

Playing its first NCAA game ever, Husson never led in the game and twice trailed by two runs before finally tying the game with Eaton (5-0) on in relief by scoring two runs in the top of the eighth on an RBI single by leadoff hitter Zach Fernandes (Eliot, Maine) and a sacrifice fly by Ethan Guerette (Wales, Maine).  

Eaton stranded two runners in the ninth, and after retiring the side in order in the top of the 10th, the No. -6 nationally-ranked Huskies posted their second win this year against the Eagles.                                                                                                                                 

Freshman Roberto Valenti (Lawrence, Mass.), a late-inning replacement in right field, walked to lead off the 10th and was sacrificed to second by No. 9 hitter Anthony Pisani (Cheshire, Conn.). All-America Chris Burleson (Portland, Maine) was then walked by relief pitcher Dan Beatham (Dexter, Mass.), and Eaton followed by stroking a  two-strike  single through the right side to plate Valenti with the game-ending run.  

Limited to just 6 1/3 innings this year due to injury, Southern Maine junior lefty Mark Schmidt (Gorham, Maine) pitched into the seventh inning. He did not allow an earned run while fanning eight and walking four and allowing six hits. Schmidt was making his first appearance since March 24, 2009. 

Anthony D'Alfonso (Westbrook, Maine), the Little East Conference Player-of-the-Year,  had three hits and drove in two runs for the Huskies with an opposite-field single in the third and his ninth home run of the year leading off the seventh that gave USM a 3-1 lead.