GORHAM – It was in the moments before dusk turned to nightfall, the baseball becoming increasingly difficult to see, that another epic meeting between the University of Southern Maine and St. Joseph’s baseball teams ended Wednesday night.

David Ricker hit a bases-loaded single to right field to drive in pinch-runner Chris Bernard in the bottom of the 12th inning, giving USM a 6-5 victory.

Ricker’s hit ended the game at 3 hours, 45 minutes, just moments before it would have been suspended because of darkness and finished at a later date.

He drove in Bernard, the team’s former No. 1 pitcher, who’s out with an elbow injury and ran to the field in practice sneakers while buttoning and tucking in his jersey after he got a call.

“I made a lot of switches and my bench was getting short,” said Huskies Coach Ed Flaherty.

“We’re battered. We’re down men, but these guys are battling.”

The Huskies (14-13) battled back in the bottom of the 11th to tie the game at 5 after the Monks scored twice in the top of the inning to snap a streak of five scoreless innings.

Jordan Berthiaume started USM’s rally with one out with a pinch-hit single to right off Chris Dion. Bernard replaced Berthiaume at first, then wheeled around to third on a single to right by Anthony Pisani, putting runners at the corners for leadoff hitter Roberto Valenti.

The Monks walked Valenti intentionally to set up a force play at home, bringing up Ricker with the bases loaded.

Kyle Neagle relieved, and Ricker took two balls and a strike before driving a pitch to the fence that went foul.

Then he ripped a curveball into right field to score Bernard and kick off a celebration by the Huskies.

“I had a chance earlier in the game to win it and didn’t come through,” said Ricker.

“It’s a win. We’ve had trouble with these guys the last couple of years.”

First baseman Mike Eaton, who came on in relief, got the win. He threw four innings, giving up four hits, two runs and two walks with two strikeouts.

“This win is huge for us,” said Eaton. “We’ve had a lot of close games and can’t get over the hump.

“It shows how much we want it. It almost feels like a conference game when we play them.”

The Monks, who had 14 hits, got a fine start from right-hander Chad Rafferty, who went eight innings and gave up five hits and three earned runs.

St. Joseph’s Coach Will Sanborn said if his team had gotten those last two outs in the 12th, he had an offer for Flaherty.

“We were going to invite them to St. Joe’s to finish,” said Sanborn, whose field has lights. “That would’ve been an interesting conversation.

“A game like this always comes down to the little things. We hit the ball pretty well, but it would’ve been nice to have a few more key hits.”

Todd Keneborus had a two-out home run over the left-field fence to give the Monks a 1-0 lead in the first.

The Huskies countered with two runs on two hits in the bottom of the inning.

The Monks scored a run in the second and another in the third to go up 3-2 before USM tied it with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

NOTES: USM’s Josh Mackey was taken out of the game in the third after a collision on a play at first base. Flaherty said Mackey was at a hospital Wednesday night being evaluated.

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:

jmenendez@pressherald.com