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Maine Baseball Downs FIU 9-8
March 14, 2006
MIAMI, Fla. -- Danny Menendez (Miami, Fla.) doubled and scored the game-winning run when Matt McGraw (Burlington, Ontario) reached on an error in the top of the ninth inning as the University of Maine baseball team defeated Florida International University 9-8 on Tuesday night in Miami, Fla. The Maine win snapped FIU's nine game winning streak. The Black Bears improve to 6-6 on the season, while FIU falls to 14-9 on the season. It was just the second home loss of the season for the Panthers who entered the game with a record of 14-1 at home. Maine opened the game with four runs in the top of the first inning. Joe Hough (West Roxbury, Mass.) and McGraw led off the game with back-to-back walks. Joel Barrett (Brewer, Maine) singled to left field scoring Hough. Ryan Quintal (Manchester, N.H.) followed with a double to right center scoring McGraw. Kevin McAvoy (Brewer, Maine) singled up the middle scoring both Barrett and Quintal to give Maine a 4-0 lead. FIU answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning, but Maine answered back in the top of the second inning. Sean Parker (Worcester, Mass.) singled to left field and Hough reached on an error. Parker scored on a balk and Hough scored Maine's sixth run of the game on a passed ball. FIU scored single runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings to pull to within two runs at 6-4. Maine added a pair in the top of the eighth inning. Parker led off the inning with a single up the middle. Barrett also reached on a single. Quintal plated Parker with a single through the right side and Barrett scored when Bobby Brown (Chelmsford, Mass.) drew a bases loaded walk.
FIU responded with four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, before Maine was able to push across the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning. Josh Zyskowski (Grand Rapids, Mich.) pitched six innings for Maine and allowed three runs on three hits while striking out six batters. Scott Robinson (Ajax, Ontario) pitched the final three innings for Maine and allowed five runs, four of which were earned. He fanned two batters, including the final batter of the game, stranding an FIU base runner on third base with the tying run. Robinson improves to 2-2 on the season. The Black Bears return to action on Wednesday, March 15 when they face Long Island University in Palm Beach, Fla. at 7:00 p.m. -U-M- |
