University of Maine
UMBC
Maine Baseball Split Saturday Doubleheader against UMBC
4/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Baltimore, Md. -- The University of Maine Baseball team split their doubleheader Saturday against UMBC.
With the split double today, Maine improves their record to 15-21 overall and 5-8 in America East play, while UMBC suffers their first loss at home on the season and stands at 19-16 overall and 6-8 in America East.
In the first game of the day, it was Maine's seventh extra inning game of the season. They were able to put a run across in the 12 inning to secure a 6-5 win. The Black Bears' offense was lead by Luke Morrill (South Thomaston, Maine) who went 2-for-6 on the day and drove in three RBI.
Maine started off the game scoring a run off of a sacrifice fly by Brett Chappell (Rock Falls, Ill.) that gave them an early 1-0 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, the Black Bears surrendered two runs that allowed UMBC to take a 2-1 lead. In the second, third and fourth Maine gave up one run each to bring the score to 5-1 after four.
In the top of the sixth, Maine rallied for three runs off of an error by UMBC that saw Chappell and Scott Heath (Westbrook, Maine) score, while Morrill advanced to third. He was later driven in by Brian Doran (Ayr, Ontario) to bring the game to 5-4 Retrievers.
The Black Bears were held scoreless until the top of the ninth, when Sam Balzano (Portland, Maine) doubled down the left field line to score Jake Osborne (Burlington, Ontario) to knot the game at five.
Logan Fullmer (Lebanon, Pa.) delivered five scoreless innings to give Maine the opportunity to tie the game in the top of the 12. Morrill delivered the game winning RBI that drove in Heath, on a double.
Heat had a solid start on the day going seven strong, allowing six hits and three earned runs.
In the second game, Maine dropped the seven inning matchup by only one run 2-3. Justin Courtney (Bangor, Maine) went six strong innings and striking out four.
Unlike the first game, UMBC was able to strike first to gain a 1-0 advantage in the bottom half of the first. The Black Bears were able to respond in the top of the third off of a Scott Heath double to left that knotted the game at one.
The Retrievers answered with a double of their own in the bottom half that drove in a run to secure the lead at 2-1. They also added another run in the bottom of the fourth on a Andrew Casali home run bringing the score to 3-1 UMBC.
Maine tried to rally in the top of the seventh, they mustered one more run that featured a Steven Adam (Tecumseh, Ontario) single that drove in Sam Balzano which brought the score to 3-2.
The Black Bears return to action Sunday afternoon for the rubber match of the three game series against UMBC at 12 p.m.
