Lynn, MA - The Northern Vermont University-Lyndon baseball team defeated the University of Maine at Presque Isle, 12-2, at Fraser Field on Saturday evening.  The game was part of the Roberto Clemente Cup tournament, hosted by Fisher College.  In other oepning day games, the hosts defeated SUNY Canton, 13-3, then Canton rebounded for a 6-3 victory over UMaine-Presque Isle.

UMaine-Presque Isle jumped in front in the top of the first inning.  Justin Mason drove a two-out double to right center off of Lyndon starter Jake Jourdain (Becket, MA) and later scored on a double by Jacob Moreno.

The Hornets tied things in the bottom of the second inning.  With one out, Jason Doris (Lincoln, RI) and Tucker Root (Middlefield, CT) reached on back to back Owl errors.  Caleb Laroche (Franklin, VT) then delivered a single to right, scoring Doris.

After Jourdain pitched out of trouble in the top of the third, the Hornets errupted for nine runs in tthe bottom half of the inning.  Ben Rollins (Lincolnville, ME) led off with a single to right.  Zak Johnson (East Hampton, CT) followed with another single, and Codi Smith (Hartford, VT) walked to load the bases.  A Doris sacrifice fly scored Rollins, then back to back singles from Root and Laroche scored two more and chased Owl starter Colby Spencer.  Chris April (Rollinsford, NH) drew a walk from reliever Austin Coulston to once again load the bases.  Sam Ognenoff (Brattleboro, VT) reached on an error, scoring another run, then a Ryder Thornton (Essex, VT) lifted a sacrifice fly to bring in one more.  Rollins came up for the second time in the inning and delivered a two-run single.  After Johnson was hit by a pitch, Smith's single drove in two more to make the score 10-1 Lyndon after three.

Staked to the big lead, Jourdain retired the next six batters, five by strikeout, before giving way to TJ Santaw (Newport, VT).  The Owls were able to get one run back against Santaw in the top of the sixth, but Lyndon ended the game with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.  Rollins came up with a two out double, then Johnson was hit by a pitch and Tyler Roberge (Essex, VT) walked to load the bases.  Doris followed with a single to left, scoring two and ending the game.

Jourdain earned the win, yielding only one run on three hits over five innings while striking out ten and walking only two.  Spencer took the loss for UMaine-Farmington.

The Hornets will conclude the pool play portion of the Clemente Cup with games against Fisher at 10:00 am and Canton at 4:00 pm.  After the conclusion of pool play, the top two teams will play for the Cup championship at 7:00 pm.