Scarborough native T.J. Liponis stepped onto the mound and into the batter’s box with a confidence that quickly turned into an offensive onslaught, guiding Endicott College to a 17-0 victory over Husson University in the NCAA Division III Regional opener.
Opening Fire
The Gulls erupted early, building a 4-0 lead after four innings and then exploding for additional runs in the fifth and sixth frames, finishing with a total of 19 hits and improving their season record to 36-9.
Liponis was a catalyst, going five-for-six with two doubles and five RBIs, while John Fusco added three runs driven in with a homer and a single, and Kyle Grabowski contributed a triple and two singles.
James Benestad chipped in two singles and three RBIs, and Cade Bernardo, son of University of Maine Hall of Famer Rick Bernardo, doubled and singled with two RBIs. Brenden Walsh and Preston Libby also recorded hits, while Cam Rendell added a base hit.
On the mound, Brady Stuart delivered seven innings of two-hit, shutout baseball, striking out 12 and walking only two to improve to 8-0. The performance snapped Husson’s 13-game winning streak, leaving them at 24-17 and facing an elimination game against the Montclair State-Whitworth loser.
Endicott will next meet the Montclair State-Whitworth winner at 2:30 p.m., continuing their tournament run as they look to advance deeper into the regional bracket.