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Cather, Mendoza Lead Maine Past Mount St. Mary's
March 5, 2007
PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Billy Cather (Worcester, Mass.) was 4-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI to lead the University of Maine baseball team past Mount St. Mary's 9-8 on Monday afternoon in Palm Beach, Fla. The Black Bears took a 9-5 lead into the ninth inning and then held on as Mount St. Mary's rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth. The Black Bears improve to 2-1 on the season with the victory, while the Mountaineers fall to 3-8. The Black Bears got on the board with a run in the top of the first inning. Curt Smith (Willemstad, Curacao) singled to shortstop and Joel Barrett (Brewer, Maine) followed with a single to left field. Kevin McAvoy (Brewer, Maine) drove in Smith with an RBI double to center field. The Black Bears added five runs in the top of the second inning. Danny Menendez (Miami, Fla.), the reigning America East Player of the Week, drew a walk to lead off the inning. Myckie Lugbauer (Mahopac, N.Y.), who was named the America East Rookie of the Week on Monday, followed with a double to center field. Brian Hackett (Bangor, Maine), earning the start at third base in the game, had an RBI single. Billy Cather (Worcester, Mass.) then doubled scoring Lugbauer. Matt McGraw (Burlington, Ontario) followed with a two-run triple down the right field line scoring Hackett and Cather. McGraw scored when Curt Smith hit a sacrifice fly. Mount St. Mary's countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning.
The Black Bears added a run in the top of the fifth inning when Menendez walked and scored when Hackett grounded out. Mount St. Mary's scored a run in the bottom of the sixth inning when catcher Josh Vittek homered to left field. The Black Bears answered right back in the top of the seventh inning. Lugbauer walked and scored when Cather doubled to right center field. It was the third hit and second RBI of the game for Cather. Mount St. Mary's made the game a bit more interesting in the bottom of the seventh inning with a pair of runs, pulling it to within three runs at 8-5. Ivor Hodgson and Vittek each crossed the plate for the Mountaineers. The Black Bears added a run in the top of the ninth inning. Lugbauer walked and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hackett. Cather ripped a single to center field. Cather then stole second and Mount St. Mary's cather Vittek threw the ball into center field, allowing Lugbauer to score. The Mountaineers rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning, loading the bases with nobody out. Eric Smith had a two-run single for Mount St. Mary's and the Mountainners pulled to within two runs at 9-7. Joseph Hayes then grounded into a double-play, however, Vittek scored and Mount St. Mary's trailed by just one run. Alejandro Balsinde (Miami, Fla.) was able to fan the final batter of the game as Maine earned the victory. Jose Mendoza (Miami, Fla.) was strong for Maine as he went six innings and allowed three runs on eight hits. He fanned four batters and earns his first win of the season. Joel Thorney (Toronto, Ontario) relieved Mendoza in the seventh inning. He went one inning and allowed two runs on three hits, however, both runs were unearned. He fanned a batter in his Maine debut. Mitch Clegg (Woburn, Mass.) went one inning and allowed three runs on four hits while striking out a pair. Balsinde pitched the ninth and allowed two hits. He picks up the save for the Black Bears. McAvoy finished with three hits on the day, while rookie Lugbauer scored three runs. Maine returns to action on Tuesday, March 6 when it faces Florida Atlantic University at 7:00 pm in Boca Raton, Fla. The game can be heard live on WZON, AM 620. -U-M- |
