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Balsinde Leads Maine to Doubleheader Split With Hartford
May 3, 2008
ORONO, Maine -- Alejandro Balsinde (Miami, Fla.) pitched a compete game, allowing just one run on five hits as the University of Maine baseball team split a doubleheader with Hartford on Saturday afternoon at Mahaney Diamond. The Hawks won the first game 8-4, before Maine rebounded to take the second game 6-1. Maine moves to 17-23-1 on the season and 5-10 in America East play. Hartford falls to 16-25 overall and 8-7 in conference play. In the second game, Balsinde set the tone early for Maine, sending Hartford down in order in the first inning. Maine answered with a run in the bottom of the first. Billy Cather (Worcester, Mass.) and Tony Patane (New Milford, Conn.) led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Curt Smith (Willemstad, Curacao) was hit-by-a-pitch to load the bases. Cather scored when Myckie Lugbauer (Mahopac, N.Y.) hit a sacrifice fly. Maine added to its lead in the bottom of the second. Kevin McAvoy (Brewer, Maine) singled to right field. Danny Menendez (Miami, Fla.) reached on a bunt single. Cather reached on a fielder's choice. Patane followed with a two-run triple scoring both McAvoy and Cather. Smith followed with a single up the middle plating Patane from third base. Lugbauer followed with a triple to deep center field scoring Smith from first base. The Black Bears added a run in the bottom of the third inning when McAvoy homered to right field. It was his second home run of the season. Hartford scored its lone run in the top of the fourth inning. Simon Kudernatsch singled up the middle and scored on a Mike Amendola sacrifice fly. Balsinde retired the side in order in the first, third, fifth and seventh innings.
Balsinde went the distance for Maine, alllowing just one run on five hits. He struck out five batters in the game. He improves to 2-5 on the season. Pete Moraski went two innings for Hartford and picks up the loss. He allowed five runs on seven hits and falls to 3-3 on the season. Bob Rogers went the final four innings. He allowed one run on one hit. In the first game, Hartford scored four runs in the top of the first inning. Kudernatsch singled up the middle. Perry reached on an error and advanced to third, while Kudernatsch scored. Matt Walker walked and Amendola doubled to left field scoring Perry. Adam Bowser hit a sacrifice fly scoring Walker. Amendola scored when Andy Drexel singled to right field. Maine answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Cather led off the inning with a homer to right center field. For Cather, it was his third home run of the season. Kevin Jackson (Wappingers Falls, N.Y) and Smith followed with singles. Jarrett Lukas (Old Town, Maine) singled to right field to load the bases. Patane drew a bases loaded walk forcing home Jackson. The Black Bears tied the game in the bottom of the second inning. Menendez doubled to center field. Cather followed with a single through the left side. Jackson walked to load the bases. Smith reached on a fielder's choice. Hartford committed an error on the play, allowing both Menendez and Cather to score. Hartford took the lead in the top of the fourth. Bowser singled to third base and scored when Adam Grap singled to right field. The Hawks added a run in the top of the fifth when Mike Amendola walked and scored when Drexel singled up the middle. Hartford plated two runs in the top of the sixth to extend their lead to 8-4. Brady Stouffer doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly. Kudernatsch walked and scored when Walker doubled to left field. Matt Jebb (Toronto, Ontario) went 4.2 innings for Maine. He allowed six runs, four of which were earned, on six hits. He struck out three batters in the game. Jebb picks up the loss and falls to 2-4 on the season. Kyle Benoit (Brampton, Ontario) went 2.1 innings in relief. He allowed two runs on three hits. Chris Greiner went seven innings for Hartford. He allowed four runs on seven hits. He improves to 6-1 on the season. The Black Bears and Hawks return to action on Sunday, May 4 at 1 p.m. in the series finale. Before the game, Maine will honor seniors Nolan Boike (Arlington, Mass.), Will Carroll (Boothbay, Maine), Mark Ostrander (Hopkinton, Mass.) and Curt Smith. -U-M- |
