GORHAM, Maine—Sophomore Caleb Vacchiano (Cornish, Maine) hit a go-ahead grand slam to cap a nine-run uprising in the bottom of the eighth inning as the University of Southern Maine came from behind to defeat visiting Babson College, 11-7, in the NCAA Tournament Gorham Regional on Saturday afternoon at Ed Flaherty Field. 

Babson, which had its six-game winning streak snapped, dips to 26-16 on the season. Southern Maine extended its winning streak to six in a row while improving to 31-10 overall. 

Senior Zander Teator (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) and sophomore Gabe Cushner (Harrington Park, N.J.) both went 3-for-4 with two RBI, junior Dante D'Avanzo (Ashland, Mass.) singled twice and drove in two runs, and sophomore Gabe Harmon (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) added two hits and two runs scored for the Beavers. Junior Jason Finkelstein (Walpole, Mass.) was terrific on the hill, striking out seven and allowing just two runs on four hits over 7.0 innings. 

Vacchiano finished with two hits and two runs scored, senior Kyle Douin (Augusta, Maine) went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, and first-year Kaiden Morin (Brewer, Maine) singled and knocked in a pair of runs for the Huskies. First-year Kason Lewis (South Portland, Maine) retired the only batter he faced to get the win after junior Gabe Gifford (Old Town, Maine) allowed seven runs on 13 hits to go along with seven strikeouts in 7.2 innings. 

The Green and White started fast as its first five batters reached base on the way to scoring three times in the top of the first. Cushner dropped a single into right to bring home sophomore Dylan Drazka (Rye Brook, N.Y.) with the first run, classmate Ben Valente (Newton, Mass.) scored on D'Avanzo's infield single and Teator raced home on junior Connor Frickey's (Colorado Springs, Colo.) RBI ground out to first. 

Teator added to the lead with a two-out RBI single to left in the top of the second before Southern Maine cut its deficit to 4-2 on Douin's two-run double to deep left in the bottom of the frame. Babson extended its lead back to 5-2 when Teator doubled to led off the fifth and scored two batters later on D'Avanzo's RBI base hit back up the box. 

Finkelstein was superb through the middle innings for the Beavers, allowing no hits and just two base runners from the third through the seventh while retiring five in a row to end his outing. Babson tacked on two more runs in the top of the eighth thanks to back-to-back RBI singles by Teator and Cushner to make it 7-2 before the Huskies exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the eighth. 

Southern Maine's first five hitters reached base against sophomore Dillon James (Attleboro, Mass.) and Morin followed junior Carter Higgins' (Truro, Nova Scotia) RBI single up the middle with a base hit to right that plated two more runs to cut the Beavers' lead to 7-5. Junior Mike Anquillare (North Haven, Conn.), who reached on a catcher's interference call scored on a throwing error to make it one-run game, classmate Evan Baschnagel (Garden City, N.Y.) tied it with a single to left and Vacchiano broke the deadlock with a grand slam to left two batters later to give the hosts their first lead of the game. 

Junior Carson Black (Porter, Maine) retired the side in order in the top of the ninth for the Huskies. 

Babson will face RIT in an elimination game at 11 a.m. on Sunday, while Southern Maine takes on No. 4/5 Rowan at 2:30 p.m. 

About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 13 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Saint Anselm College (beginning reclassification process with NCAA in 2027-28), Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with eight Associate Members: Brandeis University (Women's Lacrosse, 2026-2027), New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 21 sports.