STANDISH — Zack Quintal collected three hits and Sam Stauble knocked in three runs to lead the University of Southern Maine to a 10-4 victory over St. Joseph’s College in a nonconference baseball game Thursday at Mahaney Diamond.

Quintal led off the game with a triple to right, then scored two batters later when Sam Stauble launched a two-run homer off the scoreboard in left field.

“In that situation you’re always just trying to get the job done, whether it’s a ground ball up the middle or a fly ball. It just so happened that I got a good pitch to hit and it went out,” said Stauble.

The Huskies (14-7) followed with single runs in the second and third, then two more in the fourth to open a 6-0 lead.

“We’ve been hitting the ball well,” said Southern Maine Coach Ed Flaherty. “Our lineup is well-balanced right throughout. There’s no one spot where we have a weakness.”

Quintal knocked in a run and scored twice.

“What I love about being a leadoff hitter is I’m a tone setter. All of these away games give me a chance to do that,” said Quintal.

Huskies starter Tyler Leavitt didn’t allow a hit through the first 41/3 innings and appeared in complete command until Nick Petchell of St. Joseph’s slapped a single to right field.

The Monks (16-3) scored twice in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Dennis Meehan followed by an RBI double by Joey Murphy to cut the deficit to 6-2.

Leavitt earned the win, pitching five innings and allowing two earned runs on two hits while walking three and striking out one.

“We’re still testing Tyler Leavitt out. He’s had Tommy John surgery. He’s coming back so I thought that was a good outing by him,” said Flaherty.

Southern Maine left fielder Dylan Hapworth quickly answered in the top of the seventh with a solo home run to left.

Later that inning, Jake Dexter ripped an RBI double to give the Huskies an 8-2 cushion.

Monks starter Grayson Jennings took the loss, lasting just 11/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits.

St. Joseph’s tried to get back into the game in the bottom of the seventh. Entering the inning trailing 9-2, the Monks scored one run on a one-out double down the right-field line by Taylor Black.

The double put runners at second and third with one out and one run already in with the middle of the order coming up.

USM reliever Tom Fortier, a transfer from St. Joseph’s, buckled down to strike out Jameson Collins and Noah McDaniel.

“It helps growing up with (St. Joseph’s) the past three years. It gives me an advantage to know who they are, what they like, what they don’t like,” said Fortier.

Fortier pitched two innings of relief, allowing one run and striking out four.

“It’s kind of my home mound, to be honest. It was nice to come here and solidify our spot at the top of the state, taking back our place at the top of Maine,” said Fortier.

The Monks struggled defensively, committing an uncharacteristic seven errors at home.

“We didn’t play very well,” said St. Joseph’s Coach Will Sanborn.

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