Orono, Maine -- After playing its first 27 games on the road, the University of Maine softball team hosts Stony Brook in its home opener on Saturday afternoon at Kessock Field. Maine and Stony Brook will meet for a doubleheader on Saturday at noon before closing the series on Sunday at 11 a.m. All games will be carried on ESPN3 and locally on the radio at 1400 AM as well as online at GoBlackBears.com. Maine, winners of five of its last six, look to make it two straight against the Seawolves after a 6-2 victory a year ago.

FULL GAME NOTES/PREVIEW

Last Time Out:
The University of Maine softball team (9-18, 4-1 America East) split its conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at UMass Lowell. The Black Bears recorded 13 hits in game one's 8-2 victory before falling in the finale, 5-3. Rachel Harvey tallied four hits, five RBI, three runs, a home run and stole a pair of bases to lead the way in an impressive offensive day for the senior catcher. Maddie Decker reached base five times, going 3-for-3 with a double and adding a pair of walks. Alyssa Derrick, Rachel Carlson and Erika Leonard each also chipped in three hits. Annie Kennedy finished the day with 7.2 inning of shutout ball, allowing just five hits in two appearances with three strikeouts. Kennedy entered game one in relief and shut the door on the River Hawks, going 6.1 innings to pick-up the shutout victory while allowing just a pair of hits and fanning two.

A Look at Maine:
The Black Bears enter play winners of five of their last six after recently having their five-game win streak snapped at UMass Lowell. Maine is led by Rachel Carlson who ranks sixth in America East with a .352 average. Carlson leads the Black Bears in hits (31) and ranks fourth in the league with 10 stolen bases. Rachel Harvey, coming off a five RBI doubleheader performance, has climbed her average to .337 with 28 hits, 13 runs and 15 RBI. Erika Leonard leads Maine in runs (18) to go along with 16 RBI and a .268 mark. Alyssa Derrick is tied for second in the league with seven home runs and leads Maine with 19 RBI. In the circle, Annie Kennedy is 4-3 with a 4.30 and 27 strikeouts in 58.2 innings. Erin Bogdanovich enters play at 2-8 with a 5.53 ERA and 33 Ks over 55.2 innings. Molly Flowers is 3-7 with a 6.33 ERA and a team-high 35 strikeouts over 48.2 innings.

A Look at Stony Brook:
The Seawolves enter the weekend at 9-18 and 5-2 in America East after sweeping a doubleheader from Hartford by scores of 12-0 and 9-6 on Thursday. Rookie Melissa Rahrich has been tremendous for Stony Brook, leading the way as the Seawolves top hitter and top pitcher. Offensively, Rahrich is hitting .375 with team-highs in HRs (6) and RBI (20). In the circle, she is 6-7 with a 3.75 ERA and 58 strikeouts over 86.0 innings. Jourdin Hering is adding a .352 mark at the plate, posting team bests in hits (32) and runs (17).

The Series:
Maine and Stony Brook split last season's two-game series. Maine took the finale 6-2, falling in the opener 4-0. Stony Brook has won 8 of the last 10 meetings. Seven of the last 10 meetings have been decided by two or fewer runs. Erika Leonard enters with a three-game hit streak in the series with Stony Brook.

Notes...

• Rachel Harvey is riding a 6-game hit streak. Over the stretch, she is hitting .500 (11-22) with 7 runs and 10 RBI.
• Rachel Carlson enters the weekend with a 5-game hit streak. Overall, Carlson leads the team with 9 multi-hit games.
• Erika Leonard has posted six multi-RBI games, the most by a Black Bear this season. An impressive feat by the leadoff hitter.
• Carlson and Harvey have each reached base safely in each of the last eight games.