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Baseball season has arrived. On Tuesday, the University of Maine baseball team continued to roll on as the Black Bears collected a split against Central Connecticut State University in the two teams’ first doubleheader of the year.
The Blue Devils used an explosive four-run sixth inning to steal the first meeting 9-8, while Maine easily garnered an 8-3 victory in the two teams’ second battle of the day. For Maine, the doubleheader allowed redemption coming off of two heartbreaking losses on the road to UConn and Northeastern.
In the two teams’ first meeting of the day, the Blue Devils’ and Black Bears’ bats came alive early and never vanished throughout the entire decision. The first inning saw each team record three runs and eliminate any glimmer of a pitcher’s duel ahead. The Blue Devils followed their early barrage of runs in the second by adding another run on Maine The Black Bears responded with a run of their own in the third to tie the score at four after three innings. The teams would again trade leads in the bottom of the fourth inning when the Blue Devils took a 5-4 advantage, only to see it evaporate when the Black Bears exploded for four runs in the fifth inning, taking an 8-5 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth CCSU took the lead for good and never looked back. The Blue Devils were able to put four runs on the board, thanks largely to a three-run homer by outfielder Tom Pezzello, and his first of the season. The Pezzello smash had given the Blues Devils 9-8. The slim one-point advantage would be all CCSU needed, as freshman pitcher Mark Peterson went on to pick up his third win of the year pitching three innings of relief and surrendering only four hits. Peterson finished with three-earned runs and stroke four Black Bears. On the offensive side, senior Keith Stegbauer highlighted for the Blue Devils going 3 for 4, including a home run, three runs scored and RBI on the afternoon. The outing had extended Stegbauer’s hitting streak to 23, before he would go hitless in the second game of the double header. Also shining for the Blue Devils were John Blaze and Phil Rothkugel, who both went 3 for 4 and finished with two RBIs. Maine would head to the clubhouse after the first game, with Simon Williams and Joel Barrett each recording a pair of RBIs in the loss.
The second match of the day allowed the Black Bears the revenge they so wanted earlier. In game two, Maine pitchers would do a number on the Blue Devils’ offense holding CCSU to just five hits and snapping the impressive hitting streak of Stegbauer. Three Black Bears pitchers would split the time at the mound, lead by starter Scott Robinson, who tallied his third win of the season by striking out three batters and allowing just three runs.
Maine was able to snatch the win after tallying three runs in the first, two in the third and three in the fourth. Greg Creek led the way with a massive solo home run and a pair of hits, while Joe earned two hits and two RBIs on the afternoon.
With the Spilt in New Britain, Conn., the Black Bears improved to 13-12, while Central Connecticut fell to 15-8-1 on the year.
Bangor Daily News