Lyndonville, VT - The Northern Vermont University-Lyndon baseball team swept both ends of its North Atlantic Conference doubleheader against the University of Maine at Farmington on Tuesday afternoon.  The wins give the Hornets a five-game sweep of the weekend series with the Beavers and improve their record to 5-8 overall and 5-5 in NAC play.  UMF falls to 3-12 overall and 3-11 in conference.

Game 1 - NVU-Lyndon 6, UMaine-Farmington 4

The Beavers jumped in front in the top of the second inning when Danny Terhune's two-out single drove in Hunter LaBossiere with the game's first run.

Lyndon responded in the bottom half of the inning.  Tyler Roberge (Essex, VT) was hit by a pitch leading off.  Sean Cavanaugh (Londonderry, NH) followed with a base hit and Parker Perron (Barton, VT) bunted the runners over.  Roberge then scored on a wild pitch and Shea McCaffrey (Lyndonville, VT) singled home Cavanaugh to give the Hornets the lead.

The Hornets extended their lead with two more runs in each of the third and fourth innings.  TJ Santaw (Newport, VT) and Codi Smith (Hartford, VT) both singled to open the third.  Jordan Cane (Merrimac, VT) followed with a double to the left field wall to score both runners.  Lyndon then took advantage of a pair of Beaver errors to add two more runs without the benefit of a base hit in the fourth inning.

Meanwhile Smith was dominant on the mound for the Hornets.  In five innings of work he allowed only one run and two hits while striking out 11 UMF batters.

The Beavers made things interesting in the top of the seventh inning.  Terhune led the inning off with a base hit.  Then with two outs, Ryan Simard kept UMF alive with a base hit.  Riley Bartell was then hit by a pitch to load the bases.  LaBossiere delivered a two run single, then Bartell came home on a wild pitch to cut the Hornet lead to 6-4.  After Andrew Hopkins walked to put the tying run on base, Hornet reliever Ryder Thornton (Essex, VT) got Troy Johnson to line out to Cavanaugh at third to end the game.

Smith earned the win for Lyndon while Bartell started and took the loss for UMF.

Game 2 - NVU-Lyndon 9, UMaine-Farmington 7

The Beavers looked like they might jump in front in the top of the first inning when they loaded the bases with one out against Hornet starter Cameron Flinn (Barre, VT).  Flinn was able to battle out of the jam by striking ou Johnson and getting Ryan Sargent to ground out to end the threat.

Lyndon instead took the early advantage in their half of the first.  Santaw drew a one out walk and advanced to second after an errant pickoff attempt.  He came in to score on Smith's RBI single.  After Smith moved up two bases on back to back wild pitches, Cane singled him home to make it 2-0, Hornets.

The Hornets tacked on three more runs in their half of the second inning.  Perron reached on an error leading off, then Aiven Malanoski (Oneonta, NY) bunted him to second.  Two batters later Santaw,s base hit scored Perron.  The Beavers then intentionally walked Smith but that backfired when Cane doubled down the right field line to drive in both runners and make it 5-0.

UMF finally broke through against Flinn in the top of the fifth inning.  Jonny Pruett singled leading off, then Bartell drew a two-out walk.  LaBossiere then drove a two-strike pitch to the left field wall, scoring both runners.

The Hornets responded with a big inning in their half of the fifth.  Cooper Whitehouse (South Berwick, ME) started things with a leadoff single and Cavanaugh followed by drawing a walk.  Perron then doubled to center field, scoring Whitehouse.  One out later, Thornton tripled to deep center, scoring both Perron and Cavanaugh.  Santaw's sacrifice fly scored Thornton, giving the Hornets a seemingly comfortable 9-2 lead.

The Beavers got one run back in the top of the sixth inning.  Sargent reached on an error, then back to back hits from Terhune and pinch hitter Ryan Pratt loaded the bases.  Steven Friscia then relieved Flinn.  UMF was able to push one run across when Sargent scored as Jordi Valls hit into a fielder's choice.  However Friscia was able to pitch his way out of the inning without allowing any further damage.

down to their final turn at bat, UMF staged a rally in the top of the seventh inning.  Bartell reached on an error, then LaBossiere singled and Aric Belanger walked to load the bases.  Matt Haines was hit by a pitch, forcing in a run.  Friscia got Terhune to fly out, but Pratt singled home LaBossiere with another run.  After Pruett popped out, Valls doubled to left center, driving in Belanger and Haines.  Suddenly the Lyndon lead was down to two runs, and the tying run was at second base.  However Cavanaugh came in to relieve Friscia and got Ryan Simard to ground out to end the game.

Flinn picked up the win for the Hornets, going five innings plus and allowing three runs, two earned, while striking out four.  Cavanaugh got credit for the save.  Ky Morris started and took the loss for the Beavers.

Lyndon will travel to the University of Maine at Presque Isle for another five-game series this weekend.  The Hornets and Owls will start things off with a single game on Friday evening, followed by doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.