The University of Maine baseball team (11-28) traveled to Maryland to take on the Retrievers from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (17-20) for a three-game series on Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29. In the first game of the doubleheader, the Black Bears fell to the Retrievers 9-4. The Black Bears lead the all-time series with the Retrievers 42-12.
In the first game, redshirt fourth-year Zach Winn got the start on the mound for the Black Bears. Winn appeared in 16 games last season, making two starts with 14 relief appearances. Starting on the mound for the Retrievers was first-year Max Goron, who has made 10 appearances so far this season, starting five.
In the top of the second, Maine got on the board first when fourth-year Jonathan Bennett singled to the right side, which then scored fourth-year Christopher Bec to give Maine the early lead.
In the top of the third, second-year Cody Pasic led off the inning with a single and then moved to second on a ball by third-year Jeremy Pena. Pasic then scored off of two wild pitches to make it 2-0. Then, Bennett hit a double to score second-year Hernen Sardinas and third-year Danny Casals, putting the Black Bears ahead 4-0.
The Retrievers came roaring back in the bottom of the third. Fourth-year Zack Bright made it 4-2 with a two-run homer. First-year Joey Goodwin made it it 4-3 when he singled to score second-year Christian Torres. Fourth-year Collin Stack capped the scoring when he hit a grand slam to make it 7-4 in their favor.
In the sixth inning, UMBC scored again to make it 8-4 on an RBI single by Goodwin. He would add another RBI single in the eighth.
Winn was roughed up on the game, giving up seven runs on six hits and two walks over 2.2 innings. He finished the day with three strikeouts.
Goron earned his third win of the season, giving up four runs on four hits over six innings. He walked three and struck out two. Second-year Mitchell Wilson picked up his first save of the season, going three perfect innings with two strikeouts.
Maine baseball falls to UMBC in game two
The University of Maine baseball team played their second game of the day against UMBC on Saturday, April 28. Maine fell to the Retrievers in game one, 9-4. In the second game, the Black Bears fell short, 7-4.
Starting on the mound for the Black Bears was fourth-year John Arel, who earned Pitcher of the Week by pitching a no-hitter against UMass-Lowell on April 21. Starting on the mound for the Retrievers was graduate student Chase Bailey.
In the second inning, the Black Bears took a 3-0 lead, when Pena, Pasic and second-year Kevin Doody scored off of a single by Casals. The Retrievers made it 3-1 when third-year Raven Beeman homered.
In the bottom of the third, Bright hit a homer to center field to tie up the game. UMBC took the lead off of a single by first-year Dmitri Floyd. Beeman then tripled to center to make it 6-3.
Pena then made it 6-4 when he homered to left field. In the bottom of the fourth, UMBC would put the final nail in the coffin when redshirt fourth-year Matt Campbell took two extra bases on throwing errors by Bennett and fourth-year centerfielder Brandon Vicens. The Retrievers would hold on from there as redshirt second-year Stephen Schoch picked up his eighth save of the season.
Arel was lit up in this one, giving up seven runs on seven hits over 3.1 innings. He walked two and struck out two. Bailey gave up three runs on four hits over three innings, but did not factor into the decision. He walked two and struck out three.
Baseball drops three-game series vs. UMBC
The University of Maine baseball team played their last game against UMBC (17-20) on Sunday, April 29 at Alumni Field. The Black Bears fell to the Retrievers in Game 3 of a three-game series, 5-2.
Starting on the mound for the Black Bears was second-year Cody Laweryson, who appeared in 20 games last season, going 4-2 in six decisions. Starting on the mound for the Retrievers was fourth-year Matt Chanin, who has played in five games this season.
The Retrievers got on the board in the fifth inning when Bright flew out to center, scoring Campbell. Then, redshirt third-year Zach Dethomasis made it 3-0 when he made a bunt to keep UMBC in the lead. The Black Bears then made a pitching change, putting in fourth-year Jonah Normandeau to relieve Laweryson.
UMBC increased their lead to five when they made a fielder’s choice and a sac fly. The Black Bears got on the board in the top of the ninth when Bec grounded out the third, scoring Pena. Then, redshirt third-year Caleb Kerbs singled to right field, which plated Casals to make it 5-2. But it wouldn’t be enough, as the Retrievers took Game 3.
The Black Bears return to the field Wednesday, May 2 when they travel to Amherst, Massachusetts to take on the University of Massachusetts Minutemen for some non-conference play. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. The Retrievers return to the field Wednesday, May 2 when they travel to Newark, Delaware to take on the University of Delaware. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
