The University of Maine baseball and softball teams were back in America East action on Saturday afternoon against the Albany Great Danes. Baseball was on the road in New York for a doubleheader to open a three game series, while softball played two with UAlbany in Orono to begin their three game weekend set and open the home schedule.
Baseball game one at Varsity Field in Albany (7 innings)- Maine scored seven runs over the first three innings, and picked up the 8-4 win over Albany. Jeremiah Jenkins got the scoring started with a one out solo homerun to centerfield in the top of the first inning. Jack Friend had an RBI single in the second, while Nick White had a two-run single. The Black Bears added three more in the third when Jake Marquez walked with the bases loaded, Myles Sargent scored on a wild pitch, and White lifted an RBI sacrifice fly to center. Sophomore pitcher Gianni Gambardella ran into some trouble in the bottom of the fourth inning giving up four runs to the Great Danes helped by an RBI double by Luke Filippi, a passed ball, and an RBI single from Ryan Ferremi. The right hander settled down after that and improved to 1-2 on the season going the distance (7.0 innings) giving up four runs (two earned) on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Sargent had three hits, while Friend had two. White knocked in three runs. Filippi and Will Binder had two hits a piece for Albany, while Ryan Pittz (0-2) took the defeat on the mound allowing seven earned runs on six hits with six walks and one strikeout in 2.1 innings.
In game two- Albany broke out to a 12-0 lead after three innings, and split the doubleheader with a 17-7 win over Maine. White hit a two-run homer for the Black Bears in the fourth, and Zach Martin smacked a two-run blast in the seventh to get them within 12-6 but they were unable to come all the way back as the Great Danes put up another four spot on the scoreboard in the home half of the seventh. Jason Kreiger (0-1) took the loss on the hill only going 2.0 innings allowing seven runs (four earned) on four hits with five walks and three strikeouts. Martin and Jenkins had two hits each for Maine, while White had three RBI and Martin had a pair. Ferremi had four hits for Albany and two RBI including a solo homer, while John Vitucci, Thomas McElwee, Jared Toby, and Luke Myers all chipped in with two RBI a piece. Owen Birkman (1-5) earned the pitching win allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 6.0 innings. The Great Danes improve to 2-16, 2-2 in America East.
Softball game one at the UMaine Softball Complex in Orono- Albany was able to score two runs in the top of the seventh inning to defeat Maine 6-4. The Great Danes jumped on top 3-0 in the second on a two-run single by Maddi Petrella, and an error on the play allowed another run to cross the plate. The Black Bears battled back and tied it in the bottom half on an RBI groundout by Keira Inman, a wild pitch, and an infield RBI single by Kenedee Giddens. The hosts took their only lead on an RBI single by Gabby Papushka 4-3 in the third inning. Albany tied it back up on a wild pitch that scored Jordan Nastros in the fifth, then got RBI singles from Mary Kate Murray and Victoria Vilarchao in the seventh to win their conference opener. Papushka had two hits to lead Maine, and Isabelle True (0-6) was tagged with the loss in the circle in relief of starter Caitlyn Fallon. Caitlyn Mitros had three hits for Albany, and Wendi Hammond (9-5) went the distance to pick up the pitching win allowing two earned runs on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in the 7.0 inning effort.
In game two- Kate Powers fired a one-hit complete game shutout as Albany completed the doubleheader sweep with a 6-0 victory over Maine. The Great Danes got all they needed when Murray slapped a two-run single to right center in the top of the first inning. Kyli Hernandez had the lone Black Bears hit, and Alysen Reith (0-6) gave up five runs on six hits in 3.1 innings in taking the loss in the circle. Murray, Mitros, and Morgan Petty all had two hits and two RBI for Albany, and Powers (4-0) only walked one and struckout four. The Great Danes are now 13-6, 2-0 in America East.
Maine baseball (5-17, 2-3 in America East), who had their three game win streak snapped, finish off the three game series with Albany on Sunday at noon. Maine softball (1-23, 0-5) has now lost 15 straight games, and will cap off their three game set with the Great Danes at 11 a.m. Sunday.
