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The University of Maine baseball team must have been looking forward to playing at home. The Black Bears used solid starting pitching to take three of four games from Northeastern University Friday and Saturday in the first games of 2003 at Mahaney Diamond.
Junior Mike Collar, sophomore Greg Creek and freshman Greg Norton all picked up complete game victories over the weekend as UMaine improved to 22-10 overall and 6-2 in America East Conference games. Northeastern fell to 7-15, 2-6.
Collar set the tone in the opening game Friday afternoon, scattering seven hits over seven innings while striking out 10 batters in an 8-2 Black Bear win. The right-hander improved to 5-2 on the season and received help from sophomore catcher Aaron Izaryk, who drove in three runs on three hits.
“Mike set the tone in the first inning,” UMaine coach Paul Kostacopoulus said. “He had awesome stuff and sent the message that ‘I’m going to be pretty tough tonight.’”
“He’s such a dominant pitcher when he is able to use all three pitches and spot them as well as he does,” Izaryk said. “When he goes out and sets the tone, it’s a positive for us.”
The Huskies used a late surge in the nightcap Friday to salvage their only win of the four-game series, 6-4. Northeastern scored a pair of runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to chase Black Bear starter Mike McDonald from the game. McDonald suffered his third loss of the season, against four victories.
Northeastern’s Chris Emanuele hit the game-winning, two-run double in the top of the eighth inning and relief pitcher Tim Bush shut down the Black Bear bats in the bottom of the inning to preserve the win.
Even with the split Friday, Kostacopoulus said he liked his team’s effort.
“We played harder tonight than we’ve probably played in the last couple weeks,” Kostacopoulus said. “I thought we played more intense and that’s a good sign.”
Creek was the hero in both games Saturday. Playing first base in the first game, Creek broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning with an RBI-single through the left side. Senior Joe Drapeau beat the throw home from Northeastern’s left fielder and the Black Bears walked away with a 4-3 win.
Norton picked up the win in game one Saturday, improving his record to 4-1 on the season. Norton gave up three earned runs on six hits and struck out four. Izaryk drove in three runs for UMaine on a two-out, bases loaded single in the second inning.
Creek was the winner on the mound in the nightcap Saturday and remained perfect in 2003 with his fourth win. Creek was aided by an offensive explosion from his teammates. Seniors Alain Picard, Brett Ouellette and Aaron Young all hit home runs and a seven-run first inning led to a 15-1 Black Bear win.
UMaine pounded out 15 hits in game two Saturday, chasing Northeastern starter Brendan Ryan after just two innings of work. Ouellette and Young each drove in four runs, and senior Mike Livulpi went 4-5 at the plate with a pair of doubles.
Creek scattered just four hits – one a solo home run from Northeastern’s Jeff Heriot – and struck out four batters.
The Black Bears host in-state rival Husson College at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Mahaney Diamond. The Braves play in the NAIA, a considerable step down from Division I competition.
UMaine returns to America East action next weekend when Binghamton University visits Mahaney Diamond for a four-game weekend series.
Related Posts:- Baseball successful at home again (April 28, 2003)
- Men’s hockey team wins at home away from home (January 7, 2002)
- UMaine field hockey loses away, wins at home (October 27, 2003)
- Black Bears begin home opener with a pair of wins (April 12, 2004)
- Men’s hoops wins home league finale (February 24, 2003)
