GORHAM, Maine – The Husson University baseball team fell in its final non-conference game of the year, as the University of Southern Maine defeated the Eagles 7-3 on Tuesday evening at Ed Flaherty Field.

Southern Maine (16-18) took early control of Tuesday's contest following an RBI-single in the home-half of the first inning, in addition to a two-RBI double in the following inning to jump out to an early 3-0 lead.

A three-run home run from the Huskies in the bottom of the fifth extended their edge to 6-0, while a single up the middle was misplayed by the Husson (16-10) defense and allowed the seventh run of the game to come in for Southern Maine.

The best opportunity for the Eagles to make some noise came in the top of the third with the bases load, as freshman Ryan Bousquet tried to tag-up on a fly ball to right field from sophomore Jack Cote, but he was gunned down at the plate and Husson would leave the inning scoreless.

The Eagles did find the scoreboard in the seventh inning as an RBI-single to left field from sophomore Hunter Curtis plated freshman Henry Lausier after he reached on an infield-single.

Freshman Matt Holmes doubled the score for the Eagles one inning later, as he blasted his fourth home run of the year over the center field fence to bring the deficit down to 7-2. Husson would load the bases following Holmes' homer, but a strikeout left three runners stranded.

Curtis tallied another solo homer for Husson in the top-half of the ninth, but the Eagles couldn't muster enough offense to complete a comeback.

Six Eagles pitches saw time on the mound in the loss, as seniors Chris Naylor and Zain Fitzsimmons, sophomores Allen Wheaton and Ben Phillips, freshman Wyatt Stevens and senior Ryan Penney completed a group-effort on the hill for Husson. Wheaton and Phillips hurled 2.1 combined scoreless innings, while Penney lasted four-complete innings and allowed no earned runs.

Holmes and Curtis posted two hits each to lead the Eagles at the plate, while Bousquet, Lausier and sophomore Colin Marshall recorded one base-knock. Junior Justin Salvatore drew three walks in his five plate appearances, while four other Eagles tallied a free pass.

Husson is back in action tomorrow when it travels to Vermont for a doubleheader against Vermont State University Lyndon. First-pitch of game one of this North Atlantic Conference clash is set for 1 p.m.