MANSFIELD, Conn. – Zach Fernandes hit an RBI single during a seven-run first inning and also hit a grand slam to lead the University of Southern Maine to a 14-6 victory over Keene State in an elimination game at the Little East Conference baseball tournament Friday.

The Huskies (21-20-1) gave up three runs in the top of the first inning before answering with seven in the bottom half. Roberto Valenti and Anthony Pisani each had two hits in the inning as the Huskies sent 12 batters to the plate.

Valenti and Mike Eaton each had two RBI and scored two runs. Dustin Stanton relieved with no outs in the first and gave up three runs on seven hits to earn the win.

 

HITTING STREAK: Garrett Wittels extended his nation-best hitting streak to 43 games with a first-inning RBI single for Florida International against South Alabama.

Wittels now has the fourth-longest streak in NCAA Division I history. The record is held by Oklahoma State’s Robin Ventura, with a 58-game run in 1987.

SOFTBALL

MAINE ELIMINATED: Katelyn O’Donnell’s two-out single scored Crista Cerrone in the sixth inning as Stony Brook (31-20-1) eliminated Maine (23-28) from the America East tournament with a 1-0 victory at Orono.

Boston University (33-19) handed the Black Bears their first loss in the double-elimination tournament earlier Friday, winning 5-1.

Alexis Souhlaris, who had two hits in each game, homered for Maine in the first inning against BU.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

NEBRASKA: Coach Connie Yori, who led the Cornhuskers to the best season in program history, received a three-year contract extension worth $660,000 a year through the 2014-15 season.