Maine (3-8) took only the first game in a three-game series in Miami. The Black Bears faced off against the University of Miami Hurricanes and won game one in a 6-1 victory. Fourth-year pitcher Justin Courtney started game one for the Black Bears. The Bangor native was stellar with over six innings pitched. Courtney allowed just one hit and one run, a home run to Miami right fielder Romy Gonzalez. Other than that, Courtney was brilliant on the mound. He struck out 8 batters in the game and walked three.
Courtney would not be the pitcher to pick up the win though. First-year pitcher Matt Geoffrion earned the victory for the Black Bears in 2.1 innings of relief pitching. Geoffrion struck out five of the 11 batters he faced. He walked two and allowed just two hits. Second-year Cody Laweryson struck out one batter in the two thirds of an inning he pitched. The Black Bears struck out 14 Miami batters collectively.
The game was a pitching duel until the sixth inning. The game was scoreless until Gonzalez launched a sixth-inning home run. Miami starting pitcher Jeb Bargfeldt threw 7.1 innings of ball, seven of them scoreless. Bargfeldt allowed six hits, one run, and one walk in his start. The Oklahoma native struck out three batters in his performance.
Maine fourth-year designated hitter Jonathan Bennett led the Black Bear’s offense. The Pensacola, Florida native was 2-4 in the game at the plate for the Black Bears, and drove in two runs as well. Maine fourth-year catcher Christopher Bec was also 2-4 at the plate and drove in two runs. Bec, a Miami native, also drew a walk. Second-year first baseman Cody Pasic went 1-3 with a walk, a run, and an RBI to his credit. Third-year second baseman Caleb Kerbs was 1-3 and scored two runs for the Black Bears.
Maine’s four-run eighth inning was the big shift in the game. The game went from a pitching duel to a slugfest. Miami reliever Andrew Cabezas took the loss without recording an out in the game. Cabezas walked two, allowed two hits, and was charged with three earned runs in the game. The Black Bears showed more patience at the plate with just having batters strike out four times in the game. Miami’s 14 strikeouts as a team was indicative of their offense in the game.
Miami comes out on top after 15 innings of play
Miami squeaked out with a victory in a hard fought 15 inning battle over against UMaine. The Hurricanes tied up the game in the 14th on a wild pitch making the score 5-5. The Black Bears scored in the following half inning on a wild pitch and took a 6-5 lead. The Hurricanes would then score two runs in the bottom of the 15th to win the game.
The Black Bears used six different pitchers in the lengthy game in Miami. Second-year pitcher Trevor DeLaite started the game for Maine. He pitched 2.2 innings, surrendered three hits and one run, walked one and struck out two. The lefty also recorded two wild pitches in 49 pitches thrown in the game. Third-year pitcher Nick Silva pitched 2.2 innings as well for UMaine. The Miami native allowed three hits and two runs, walked one and struck out two batters. Silva also hit three players in the game.
Pitcher Greg Veliz started the game for the Hurricanes. The second-year righty from Key West struck out eight Black Bear batters over four innings of work. He walked five batters and allowed just one run. First-year Daniel Federman was next on the mound for the Hurricanes. Federman pitched two innings, allowed two hits and one run. He struck out two batters.
One highlight in the 15-inning match was Maine pitcher Eddie Emerson. Emerson, a third-year from Lewiston, Maine, struck out 11 batters in 5.1 innings of work. The 6’3 southpaw managed to strike out half of the batters he faced in the game. He walked six batters, threw a game high 106 pitches and allowed just one hit in his brilliant outing. Laweryson was tagged with the loss in the extra innings. He pitched one inning, allowed five hits, walked one, allowed three runs and struck out two.
Bennett was a beast at the plate again. He was 3 for 6 in the game, scored two runs for the Black Bears and was walked twice. Kerbs was 2 for 7 at the plate with three runs batted in. His RBIs were clutch in that his ninth inning RBI tied the game, and his 14th inning RBI took the lead. Second-year outfielder Kevin Doody went 2 for 6 at the plate with a run scored. Bec went 1 for 6 and drew two walks for the Black Bears.
Miami takes final game over Black Bears
Miami took the series tie-breaker in a 7-1 win over the Black Bears. Second-year pitcher Evan McKendry started the game for the Hurricanes. He pitched an absolute gem. McKendry threw six innings, allowed five hits, let up one run and struck out 10 Black Bear batters in the game. His dominance earned him the victory, making his record 2-1 on the season. The Black Bears were blanked by Miami’s pitching on Sunday. Miami fourth-year pitcher Michael Mediavilla struck out two batters over two innings of relief work. He walked one batter and allowed just one hit. Fourth-year Cooper Hammond pitched the last inning for the Hurricanes, allowing two hits to the five batters he faced.
Third-year pitcher Chris Murphy picked up his third loss of the season for the Black Bears. The Massachusetts native pitched 4.1 innings, walked six, allowed six runs on four hits and struck out four batters. He threw 97 pitches in the game and hit two batters. Fourth-year pitcher John Arel relieved Murphy in the fifth inning. Arel pitched 2.2 innings, allowed four hits, hit two batters and struck out three. First-year infielder Ben Terwilliger made an appearance on the mound for the Black Bears. The New York native allowed one run on two hits, walked two and struck out a batter in his inning of work.
Maine fourth-year centerfielder Brandon Vicens hit well in the game. The Florida native was 2 for 2 at the plate with a triple and a double. He also drew three of the Black Bear’s four walks. Third-year designated hitter Danny Casals was 2-4 at the plate. Bennett went 0-3 with a strikeout, but drew a walk and scored a run. Doody was 1-4 at the plate with a strikeout.
The Black Bears will return to action Friday, March 9. They will begin a four game series with University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas. The Vaqueros have won their last two games and are currently sporting a 7-4 record. Maine will look to better their record before conference games begin March 24. Miami will go on to play Florida International University on Wednesday March 7 at 7 p.m.
