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Black Bears Split Doubleheader with UMBC
April 18, 2008
BALTIMORE, Md.-- The University of Maine baseball team split a doubleheader with UMBC on Friday afternoon in Baltimore, Md. The Black Bears earned a 6-3 win in the first game, before dropping the nightcap 21-8. Maine moves to 13-17-1 on the season and 2-4 in America East Conference play. UMBC moves to 11-21 overall and 3-7 in conference play. In the first game, it was a pitchers dual through the first four innings, with neither team able to score a run. The Black Bears struck first in the top of the fifth inning when Joe Mercurio (Brewster, N.Y.) singled to third base, advanced to second on a wild pitch and third on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Howard (Weston, Mass.). He scored when Billy Cather (Worcester, Mass.) singled to left field. Maine added to its lead in the top of the sixth inning. Curt Smith (Willemstad, Curacao) led off the inning with a triple to right center field and scored when Myckie Lugbauer (Mahopac, N.Y.) singled to second base. Kevin McAvoy (Brewer, Maine) followed with a single to third base. Tony Patane (New Milford, Conn.) had a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error by the pitcher. Lugbauer scored on the play with McAvoy going to third base and Patane to second. McAvoy scored when Jarrett Lukas (Old Town, Maine) hit a sacrifice fly. UMBC got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning. Scott Peddicord doubled center field and scored when Joe Fowler singled up the middle.
The Black Bears got the run back in the top of the seventh. Howard reached on an error and Cather singled to third base. Danny Menendez (Miami, Fla.) followed with a single to right field driving home Howard, giving Maine a 5-1 lead. Cather scored when McAvoy grounded out. UMBC scored a pair of run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Shawn Retz doubled to left field to lead off the inning. Brad Brainer singled to shortstop. Peddicord followed with a singled to right field driving in Retz. Brainer scored on an error, before Peddicord was caught in a run down Kevin Scanlan (Sudbury, Mass) went 6.2 innings for the Black Bears. He allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on 11 hits. He struck out six batters in the game. He picked up the win and evens his record at 2-2 on the season. Justin Latta (Lubbock, Texas) relieved Scanlan and recorded the final out. Ed Bach went the distance for UMBC. He allowed six runs, three of which were earned, on 13 hits. He falls to 2-5 on the season. In the second game, Maine jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Cather led off the game with a single up the middle. Menendez reached and advanced to second on an error while Cather went to third base. Cather scored when Smith grounded out and Menendez scored when Lugbauer grounded out. UMBC, however, would answer with three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-2 lead. Maine took the lead back in the top of the second inning. Jarrett Lukas tied the game with his fourth home run of the season. Matt Howard then walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on an error and scored when Cather doubled to center field. Menendez followed with a RBI double of his own down the left field line, plating Cather to give Maine a 5-3 lead. UMBC took the lead back in the bottom of the second inning. Wink Nolan reached on an error and scored when Joe Fowler singled. Will Delawter drove home both Peddicord and Fowler with a double to right field. Lugbauer led off the top of the third inning with a double down the right field line, but he was stranded at second base. The Retrievers added to their lead in the bottom of the third inning when Wink Nolan homered to left field. Maine tied the game in the top of the fifth inning. Lugbauer led off the inning with a home run. For Lugbauer, it was his third home run of the season. Tony Patane singled and Lukas followed with a double. Patane tied the game when Mercurio hit a sacrifice fly. UMBC took the lead back in the bottom of the fifth inning with 14 runs. Fowler had a three-run home run, Nolan had an three-run triple, while Rich Conlon and Brad Brainer each had RBI doubles to highlight the inning for UMBC. Maine got a run back in the top of the sixth inning. Cather led off the inning with a single, Menendez reached on an error and Smith was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Joey Martin (Portland, Maine) drew a walk forcing in Cather. Kyle Benoit (Brampton, Ontario) went 1.2 innings for the Black Bears. He allowed six runs, three of which were earned, on six hits. He struck out one batter in the game. Jonathan Balentina (Willemstad, Curacao) relieved Benoit and went 2.1 innings. He allowed three runs on two hits while striking out three. He falls to 0-2 on the season. Latta came in in relief of Balentina. He allowed five runs, four of which were earned, on three hits. Ryan Forrest (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) replaced Latta. He went 0.1 inning and allowed seven runs, six of which were earned, on five hits. Kevin Jackson (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) made his collegiate debut on the mound for Maine in the fifth inning. He went 1.2 innings and allowed just two hits while striking out a pair. Delawter pitched five innings and allowed seven runs, six of which were earned, on nine hits for UMBC. He struck out three batters and improves to 2-2 on the season. Ryan Morse and Sterling Sams each also pitched an inning in the game for the Retrievers. The Black Bears return to action on Saturday, April 19 when they face UMBC at 7:00 p.m. in Baltimore, Md. -U-M- |
