The University of Maine baseball team continued their season opening spring trip with three games against three different opponents at Melching Field in DeLand, Florida over the weekend.
On Friday night- Stetson University got off to an 8-0 lead through five innings, and then would end it by mercy in the eighth defeating Maine 12-2. Jeremiah Jenkins and Will Burns both had RBI doubles in the top of the eighth for the only runs for the Black Bears. Jenkins had two hits in the defeat. Gianni Gambardella (0-2) went 4.0 innings on the hill allowing four runs on four hits with four walks and six strikeouts. The Hatters had four different players with two RBI each.
On Saturday afternoon- Maine scored two runs in each of the first three innings, and then put up a five spot in both the fifth and sixth and would mercy rule Fordham University 16-2 in seven innings. Jake Marquez had two hits and three RBI, including a solo homerun in the first. Jenkins also hit a solo homer in the opening inning. Nick White added two hits and two RBI (two-run homerun), while Colin Plante and Myles Sargent contributed two RBI each. Jason Kreiger (1-0) got the pitching win allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Michael Brueser and Madden Ocko had an RBI each for the Rams in the loss.
On Sunday morning- Army took an early 3-0 and went on to defeat Maine 8-2. Sargent had an RBI single and White drove in the other Black Bears run on a fielders choice. Connor Goodman had two hits. Noah Lewis (0-2) took the loss allowing five earned runs on four hits with five walks and two strikeouts in 4.0 innings. Chris Barr, Braden Golinski, and Ethan Ellis each had a pair of runs driven for the Black Knights.
Maine is now 1-5 on the early season. They play 12 more games on the trip in mostly Florida or South Carolina. The Black Bears next game is scheduled for Wednesday at Boston College. They open their home schedule at Mahaney Diamond on Wednesday, March 20 in non-conference play against Thomas College, while the America East openers are that same week in Orono as well Friday, March 22- Sunday, March 24 (three game series) against Bryant University.
Recaps by Chris Lessner
