HARWICH, Mass. — Down 5-0 after five innings, top-seeded University of Southern Maine rallied for four runs in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh to defeat fourth-seeded Western New England University, 6-5, in Game Seven of the NCAA Division III New England Regional Tournament.
The victory was the 39th of the season for the Huskies, tying the school record for wins in a season set by the 1997 team that won the national title.  
The Huskies move into a winners’ bracket game at 4:30 p.m. Friday against the winner of the final game Thursday night between second-seeded Wheaton College and third-seeded Endicott College.
The Golden Bears (32-12) will face an elimination game against Saint Joseph’s College Friday morning. in the eight-team, double-elimination tournament.
Junior Matt Verrier had a two-run single to key a four-run sixth inning that got the Huskies back in the game, then gave them the lead in the seventh when his ground ball was misplayed for an error and scored Chris Bernard.
Sophomore right-handed relief pitcher Andrew Richards made the lead stand up over the final three WNEU turns at bat.  
Richards came on in relief of senior starter Ryan Yates in the sixth inning and hurled four innings of three-hit, shutout relief to earn his seventh win of the season.