University of Maine
St. Bonaventure
Baseball Splits Doubleheader With St. Bonaventure
3/1/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- The University of Maine baseball team split a doubleheader with St. Bonaventure on Sunday afternoon in Winter Haven, Fla. The Black Bears won the first game 8-3, before falling in the second game 5-4.
Maine falls to 2-8 on the season, while St. Bonaventure improves to 2-1.
In the first game, the Black Bears struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Scott Heath (Westbrook, Maine) drew a walk and Luke Morrill (South Thomaston, Maine) reached on a fielder's choice after Sam Balzano (Portland, Maine), who doubled, was put out at third base. Kevin Stypulkowski (Lake Worth, Florida) drove in both runners with a hit to right field.
Maine added to its lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. Stypulkowski doubled and Shane Bussey (Boynton Beach, Florida) followed with a triple. Bussey scored when Brenden Geary (South Hadley, Massachusetts) doubled.
St. Bonaventure answered with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth. Bret Heath walked scored when Tyler Bell reached on an error. Bell scored the second run of the inning when Tyler Walter singled.
Maine added a single run in the top of the fifth inning. Heath doubled and scored when Stypulkowski hit a sacrifice fly. Maine capped the scoring with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Heath reached on an error and Connor Johnson (Taunton, Massachusetts) pinch ran for him. Morrill followed with a single. Johnson scored when Brett Chappell (Rock Falls, Illinois) singled. Morrill and Chappell both scored on a double by Bussey.
Heath picked up his second win of the season in the game and improves to 2-0. He went six innings and allowed three unearned runs on five hits. He struck out five batters. Charlie Butler (Marlborough, Massachusetts) pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the Black Bears.
Steven Klimek went 4.1 innings for the Bonnies and falls to 0-1. He allowed five runs on seven hits. Brandon Schlimm went 2.2 innings and allowed three runs.
In the second game, St.Bonaventure got a run in the top of the first inning. Thad Johnson singled and scored when Tyler Bell doubled.
Maine grabbed the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Brian Doran (Ayr, Ontario) singled and Balzano reached on an error. Doran scored when Heath singled. Balzano gave the Black Bears a 2-1 lead when he scored on a hit by Chappell.
St. Bonaventure regained the lead with five runs in the top of the fifth inning. Ted Dilts and Jonathan Diaz each had two-run singles in the inning.
Maine got a run in the bottom of the sixth. Stypulkowski walked and dscored when Geary doubled.
Maine got a run and threatened to tie the game or win it in the seventh, but was not able to come up with a hit. Balzano and Heath both reached to lead off the inning. Balzano scored to pull Maine to within one run, but that is as close as the Black Bears could get.
Jake Marks (Sarnia, Ontario) got the start on the mound for Maine and went four plus innings. He allowed four runs on eight hits and falls to 0-2 on the season. Jonah Normandeau (Cumberland, Maine) went an inning and allowed a run on one hit. Logan Fullmer (Lebanon, Pennsylvania) pitched a scoreless inning in relief as did Connor Johnson.
Connor Grey got the start for St. Bonaventure and allowed two runs over six hits over 3.2 innings. He was one of four St. Bonaventure pitchers.
Maine returns to action on TUesday, March 3 when it faces Mount St. Mary's at 1 pm in Port Charlotte, Florida. First pitch is scheduled for 1 PM. Maine will play Ball State following the game against Mount St. Mary's.
