The baseball and softball teams from the University of Maine were both in action Saturday and Sunday with a three game America East conference series with UMBC. The baseball team finally returned to Orono for their home opening series, while softball was on the road at UMBC in Baltimore, Maryland.
At Mahaney Diamond Sunday, the Maine baseball team took the rubber match of the three game set with a 9-2 win over UMBC behind a four RBI day from Joe Bramanti and a strong pitching effort from Cody Laweryson.
The visiting Retrievers took the early lead however, on an RBI single from Christian Torres in the top of the first to make it 1-0. Maine responded however on RBI singles from Bramanti and Ryan Turenne to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first, and a lead they wouldn’t give back. UMBC did tie the score in the third on a Blaze O’Saben RBI single, but the Black Bears jumped back on top in the bottom half of that inning when Danny Casals scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-2. Maine added three more in the fifth inning to begin pulling away, on a two run double by Bramanti and an infield single for an RBI by Bobby Brennan that scored Bramanti to make it 6-2. In the sixth, Bramanti singled in his fourth run of the day and Casals also scored on a Retrievers throwing error on the play to make it 8-2. Colin Ridley added an RBI single in the eighth to finish the scoring. Bramanti had three hits, and Casals and Ridley with two each to pace the offense. Laweryson (1-3), who had been a tough luck loser last time out when he carried a perfect game into the seventh inning at Stony Brook picked up his first win of 2019 by going 7.0 innings allowing two runs, five hits, with three walks, and 10 strikeouts. Andy Rozylowicz (2-2) was the loser in relief of starter Tanner Esposito who only went 1.0 inning for UMBC. The two teams split Saturdays game, with Maine taking game one 2-1 and UMBC game two by a score of 4-1. Ridley had an RBI, and Caleb Kerbs the winning RBI hit in the seventh in the Maine win in game one. Nick Silva (2-4) got the pitching win allowing just a run on three hits in 8.1 innings, while Trevor Delaite picked up a two out save, his second save of the season. Hernen Sardinas provided the only Bears offense in game two with a solo homer in the first. The Retrievers picked up the game deciding runs in the third on a three run triple by Colin Casey. Justin Courtney (0-2) took the loss on the hill for Maine allowing four runs, six hits, one walk, with three strikeouts in 3.0 innings. Nick Trabacchi (3-2) got the win allowing just one run and three hits in the complete 7.0 inning effort for the Retrievers. The Black Bears are now 4-22 overall, and 3-5 in America East and will host UMass-Lowell for a doubleheader Saturday and single game Sunday in Orono. UMBC goes to 14-13, 2-7.
At Baltimore, Maryland the Maine softball team nearly got no-hit by the same pitcher for the second time on the weekend as UMBC took two of three from the Bears with a 4-0 win on Sunday.
It was a 1-0 game for much of the contest as the host Retrievers has picked up an unearned run in the third inning on a Black Bear throwing error. UMBC added to the lead in the fifth when Julia Keffler doubled in a run, and then pitcher Courtney Coopersmith hit a two run single to add the insurance. Coopersmith (14-6) went the distance, carrying a no- hitter into the seventh inning that was ended on a one out single by Keely Clark. The final line for the right hander was 7.0 innings, no runs, one hit, two walks, and 13 strikeouts. Keffler and Coopersmith had two hits each to pace UMBC. Emily Reid (2-9) took the pitching loss in relief for Maine. On Saturday the two teams had split, with UMBC winning the game one with a no-hitter 7-0, before Maine bounced back in the second game with a 4-0 win for their first conference win of 2019. Kaly Winslow and Keffler both had two run singles in the fourth inning of the first game for UMBC, while Imani Winslow crushed a two run homer in the fifth to help the Retrievers to the win. Coopersmith picked up her first of two victories of the weekend, again going the whole way allowing no runs or hits in 7.0 innings with three walks and 17 strikeouts. Coopersmith had 30 strikeouts in 14 innings in her two wins. Reid was tagged with the first of two losses in the series. In game two, Maine did all their damage in the third inning to pick up the win. Brianna Neely had an infield RBI single, Amanda MacBurnie an RBI double, and Maddie Decker a two run double. Kyleigh O’Donnell (2-4) went the distance in the circle for the win for the Bears allowing no runs, three hits, one walk, with eight strikeouts in the 7.0 inning effort. Gillian McCarthy (5-7) took the loss for UMBC. Five different starters had one hit a piece to pace the Maine offense. The Black Bears are now 8-20 overall, 1-5 in America East and will finally return to Orono and Kessock Field for their home openers Saturday with a doubleheader against Hartford and single game Sunday. UMBC sees their record go to 19-13, 4-2.
