DELRAY BEACH, Florida - The Black Bears came into their Friday morning contest with UMass on a two-game losing streak, and found themselves in a two-run deficit in the seventh inning, but a huge four-run rally sealed a victory for the Black Bears, 4-2.

Justin Courtney got the start for the Black Bears, while he allowed two earned runs and eight hits, he limited the free passes as he walked only two batters and struck out seven, getting the win for Maine.

A pitchers duel through the early part of the game, the games first run did not occur until the top of the fourth inning as a lone UMass run would break the tie. UMass would lead 1-0 until the seventh inning when they tallied another solo run in the top of the seventh to lead 2-0.

Maine began the rally in the bottom of the seventh, as leadoff hitter Brandon Vicens singled to left field and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. A walk to Hernen Sardinas would set up a Caleb Kerbs sacrifice bunt to advance both runners to second and third.  Tyler Schwanz, who did not start the game, would come in to pinch hit and tally himself an RBI single, scoring Vicens from third, and then a sacrifice bunt turned into a base hit for Lou Della Fera, who scored Sardinas to tie the game. With Schwanz's pinch runner, Kevin Doody, on third base and Della Fera on first, Jeremy Pena notched the go-ahead RBI with a single through the left side, scoring Doody. On a steal attempt to second base, a throwing error allowed Della Fera to score the fourth run, giving Maine some insurance going into the eighth inning.

Connor Johnson came into the game for Justin Courtney to begin the eighth, and retired all three batters he faced on a fly-out and two groundouts. Jeff Gelinas came in to get the save in the top of the ninth, and after a ground out, he struck out the final two batters to get his third save of the season, bringing Maine back to a .500 record as they are now 6-6. Justin Courtney is now 2-1 on the season.

The two teams will play again Saturday afternoon at 1pm in Delray Beach, Florida for game two, and again on Sunday at 12pm.

-UMaine-