The University of Maine baseball team lost a single game on Saturday afternoon before splitting a doubleheader with conference rival UMass Lowell. The Black Bears lost 4-3 in extra innings on Saturday, before winning 5-4 and falling 10-6 on Sunday. With the losses, Maine falls to last place in the America East Conference.
Balzano leads Black Bears in loss
The University of Maine baseball team dropped the first game of a three game weekend series, losing in extra innings by a score of 4-3 to America East conference foe UMass-Lowell. Maine rallied with a two-run shot by fourth-year outfielder Sam Balzano in the seventh inning to knot the score at 3-3. The River Hawks responded with a walk-off double by second-year outfielder Ian Strom in the bottom of the 10th to upend the Black Bears.
The River Hawks stormed to an early 3-0 lead, tallying three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Black Bears first-year starting pitcher Justin Courtney walked third-year outfielder Joe Consolmagno to get the River Hawks on base. Fourth-year shortstop Danny Mendick doubled to bring in Consolmagno to take a 1-0 lead, and fourth-year infielder Matthew Sanchez singled to put runners on the corners. UMass-Lowell took a 3-0 lead when fourth-year outfielder Jimmy Ricoy batted in Mendick and Sanchez on a single deep to right field.
Courtney bounced back after a difficult first inning to shut out the River Hawks until he was relieved in the sixth inning.
Third-year infielder Bussey got Maine on the board in the top of the sixth inning with a triple, and scored when the Black Bears hit into a double play.
Maine knotted the score at 3-3 in the top of the seventh with Balzano’s double to center field. Third-year catcher Kevin Stypulkowski singled to right field to get on base, and fourth-year outfielder Brian Doran was walked. River Hawks first-year pitcher Nick Kuzia threw a wild pitch, which advanced both runners into scoring position before Balzano doubled to center, completing the Black Bears rally.
Neither team was able to score another run in regulation. Strom ended the game in the bottom of the 10th on a walk-off double on third-year reliever Logan Fullmer.
Consolmagno started the inning with a single, and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mendick. Fullmer walked Sanchez, looking for an easy force out on Strom to end the inning. Strom got a piece of a sinker and sent it down into the right field corner, bringing in Consolmagno to end the game 4-3.
River Hawks starting first-year pitcher Andrew Ryan gave up only one earned run in six innings of work. Fourth-year reliever Christian Lavoie earned the win with two shutout innings at the end of the game.
Black Bears bounce back
Maine responded in the first half of Sunday’s doubleheader and defeated the River Hawks 5-4. Fourth-year outfielder Brian Doran hit a two RBI homerun in the fourth inning to lift the Black Bears over the River Hawks.
Each team tallied a run in the opening inning. The River Hawks took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Matthew Sanchez singled deep into center field, bringing in fourth-year fielders Luke Reynolds and Kelly Rooney.
Maine responded in the top of the fourth inning to take a 4-3 lead. Fourth-year shortstop Luke Morrill doubled to lead off the inning, and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Morrill came home on an error to bring the Black Bears within a run, down 3-2. Third-year catcher Jonathan Salcedo reached first base on a throwing error by Sanchez. Doran connected with a pitch from River Hawks fourth-year starting pitcher Geoff Degroot, sending it deep into right field and over the wall to take a 4-3 Black Bears lead.
Ian Strom hit a sac fly for the River Hawks in the bottom of the fifth inning, bringing in Danny Mendick to knot the score at 4-4.
Sam Balzano flied out to the infield in the top of the sixth inning, running in fourth-year outfielder Steven Adam to give the Black Bears a 5-4 lead. The River Hawks failed to respond for the remainder of the contest.
Fourth-year pitcher Jacob Gosselin-Deschesnes earned the win for the Black Bears, moving to 2-1 on the mound for the season. The Black Bears starter, fourth-year Scott Heath struck out one batter in four and a third innings of work. Degroot earned the loss for the River Hawks, moving to 1-2 on the season.
UMaine falls in last game
In the back half of the doubleheader, the River Hawks owned all nine innings of play and beat Maine by a score of 10-6. A four run inning in the bottom of the fourth assisted by a two RBI double by Danny Mendick lifted the River Hawks, who never looked back.
UMass Lowell jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Ian Strom doubled to center field bringing in Mendick and Sanchez to give the River Hawks an early advantage.
Maine responded when third-year first baseman Brenden Geary reached home plate when fourth-year outfielder Brian Doran singled down the first base line, cutting the River Hawks lead in half at 2-1.
The Black Bears knotted the score at 2-2 in the fourth inning, but that was as close as they would get from there onward. Geary doubled right of center field in the inning, bringing in fourth-year shortstop Luke Morrill to even the score.
In the bottom of the fourth, the River Hawks exploded for four runs. Maine third-year relief pitcher Charlie Butler struggled with the River Hawks batting in the inning, giving up two RBI doubles. Fourth-year outfielder Luke Reynolds doubled down the right field line to bring in second-year catcher Brice Erickson for a 3-2 lead. Matthew Sanchez grounded out to first base, bringing in Reynolds to extend the River Hawks lead 4-2. Mendick offered his two RBI double to left center field, bringing in first-year infielder Ben Prada and Geoff DeGroot for a commanding 6-2 UMass Lowell lead.
Morrill connected with a double deep to right center field on a pitch from River Hawks fourth-year starting pitcher Kevin Veilleux in the top of the fifth inning to bring in third-year Shane Bussey and Sam Balzano, inching the Black Bears closer at 6-4.
UMass Lowell opened up its lead in the bottom of the inning, gaining two more runs on the Black Bears. Reynolds singled to right field to bring in Joe Consolmagno, and Sanchez singled to third base allowing Reynolds to score, increasing the River Hawks cushion at 8-4.
Geary brought in third-year infielder Brett Chappell batting into a fielder’s choice to cut the lead down to 8-5 in the top of the seventh inning.
Kelly Rooney grounded out on a bunt in the bottom of the inning to bring in Consolmagno to extend the River Hawks lead yet again. Sanchez tripled late in the inning to bring Consolmagno home for a commanding 10-5 lead.
Balzano singled to left field in the top of the ninth inning to bring in Geary, but the Black Bears were closed out by Strom who made a relief effort on the mound for the last one 1/3 innings.
Veilleux earned the win for the River Hawks, striking out one batter on four earned runs in six and a third innings. Black Bears third-year starter Jake Marks falls to 1-4 on the season with the loss.
Maine returns to action on Tuesday afternoon when they face off against the University of Maine Presque Isle at Mahaney Diamond at 5 p.m.