University of Maine
Hartford
Heath Homers but Black Bears Fall to Hartford 10-5 in America East Opener
3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Maine baseball team opened America East play with a 10-5 loss to Hartford on Saturday afternoon in West Hartford, Conn. The two teams played a single game on Saturday because of the weather and will attempt a doubleheader on Sunday. Maine falls to 8-14 on the season and 0-1 in America East play. Hartford improves to 7-9 overall, 3-1 in conference action.
Maine got off to a great start in the game. Sam Balzano (Portland, Maine) led off the game and reached on an error. Shane Bussey (Boynton Beach, Fla.) followed with a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. Scott Heath (Westbrook, Maine) then belted a home run over the right field fence, giving the Black Bears a 3-0 lead.
The Hawks got on the board with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Ryan Lukach was hit and scored on an error. Hartford took the lead with four runs in the fourth inning. Again, Lukach was hit to lead off the inning and Trey Stover singled to left. Lukach scored when Erik Ostberg singled to right. Stover scored when Dalton Ruch singled. The Hawks took the lead when Ben Bengtson singled through the left side plating Ostberg.
The Hawks added four more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning highlighted by a two-run Lukach home run. Chris DelDebbio singled to left and scored when Ruch singled in the bottom of the seventh as Hartford extended its lead to 9-3.
Maine got a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Balzano singled to center field and moved to second on a wild pitch. Bussey struck out, but reached on a wild pitch. Balzano scored when Heath grounded out. Bussey moved to third on a balk and scored when Brett Chappell (Rock Falls, Ill.) singled through the left side.
Hartford made it a 10-5 final with a run in the bottom of the eighth.
Freshman third baseman Christian Garabedian (Miami, Fla.) had three hits in the game for the Black Bears, while Heath finished with four RBI.
Heath got the start on the mound for the Black Bears and allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings. He struck out three batters and falls to 3-2 on the season. Logan Fullmer (Lebanon, Pa.) allowed four runs in the sixth inning on four hits. Jacob Gosselin-Deschesnes (Montreal, Quebec) allowed two runs on four hits over the final two innings. He fanned three batters.
Kyle Gauthier got the start for the Hawks and went seven innings. He allowed three runs, just two of them were earned, on six hits, while striking out three. Gauthier moves to 2-3 on the season. Jeremy Charles replaced Gauthier. He went two innings and allowed two runs on two hits.
The two teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 12 p.m., weather permitting.
