The University of Maine hosted Stony Brook University in a pair of baseball and softball America East conference games on Saturday.
At Mahaney Diamond, the host Black Bears got a late eighth inning solo homer from Danny Casals to take game one 4-3, before the SBU Seawolves salvaged a split with a 5-3 win in game two.
Four different Maine starters had RBI hits in the first game, while Joe Bramanti and Cody Pasic had two hits each. Trevor Delaite (1-1) won in relief of Nick Silva by allowing no runs on three hits over the final 2.0 innings. Stony Brook had the bases loaded with one out in the ninth, but Delaite got out of it with a groundout to cut a runner at the plate and a strikeout to preserve the win. Johnny Decker had three hits for SBU, while Chris Hamilton had two. Greg Marino (4-4) lost on the mound allowing four runs on nine hits in 7.2 innings.
In the second game the visitors built a 5-1 lead and held off the Black Bears to split the doubleheader. The teams swapped RBI in the first inning, as Michael Wilson hit a solo homer for SBU and Casals hit an RBI single for the Bears. The big hit of the game was a three run homer from Hamilton in the third to make it 4-1. Bramanti reached on an error in the sixth to score an unearned run, and Colin Ridley hit an RBI double to cut it to 5-3 but that as close as Maine would get. The Bears got a runner with one out in their last at bat, but Hernen Sardinas struck out and Pasic grounded out into a fielders choice. Ridley had two hits for Maine, while Cody Lawyerson (4-4) took the loss allowing five runs on five hits in 5.0 innings. Six different Seawolves had hits in the win, while Bret Clarke (7-0) stayed undefeated on the mound allowing three runs (one earned) and four hits in 5.2 innings. Sam Turcotte got his fifth save by walking one and striking out three over the final 1.1 innings. Maine is now 12-27, 8-8 in America East. SBU is 25-18, 14-6. The third game of the series is Sunday at 12 noon.
On Senior Day over at Kessock Field, Maine softball in their season finale scored three runs in the sixth inning to put away a game one win 7-3, before SBU used a solid pitching effort to shutout the Bears in game two 5-0 to end up taking two of the three games on the weekend.
In game one, the two teams each exchanged a run in the first inning and two in the third for a tied score 3-3. Kelby Drews hit a solo homer in the fourth that proved to be the game winner for Maine. The Bears put it away in the sixth when senior Maddie Decker hit a solo homer, then Amanda Nee and Maddie Kimble both walked with the bases loaded. Alyssa Derrick had three hits including a two run homer in her final game as a Black Bear, while senior Laurine German and Nee had two a piece. Kyleigh O’Donnell (4-6) went the full distance 7.0 innings to get the win allowing three runs on six hits. O’Donnell walked six but stuck out seven. Katelyn Corr and Melissa Rahrich had two hits for SBU, and Irene Rivera had a two run homer. Shelbi Denman (10-5) took the loss allowing four runs on seven hits in 3.0 innings.
In the second game, Rahrich hit a two run homer and pitched a two hit shutout to lead the Seawolves to the split and a win of the series. Rahrich broke the scoreless tie in the third inning with that two run homer that turned out to be the game winner. Alina Lance added an RBI single in the fourth, Taylor Pechin an RBI single in the fifth, and an RBI groundout by Lance in the sixth to end the scoring. Decker and Keely Clark had the only two Maine hits, and Lily Volk (4-6) lost in the circle allowing three runs on seven hits in 4.0 innings. Rahrich, Pechin, and Riley Craig had two hits each for SBU. Rahrich (16-11) allowed no runs, two hits, with one walk, and seven strikeouts in the complete game seven inning effort. Maine finishes their season 12-29 overall, 4-13 in America East. The Bears finish in last place and won’t qualify for an America East postseason spot. SBU is 29-17, 11-7 and finish third in conference.
