ORONO, Maine - After dropping two games to the Great Danes on Friday, the Black Bears looked to bounce back in their final home game of the season, after honoring the three graduated seniors, Lou Della Fera, Jeff Gelinas, and Tyler Schwanz. In their third one-run game in a row, the Black Bears found themselves on the winning side of the contest, taking game three of the series 2-1, locking them in at the #5 seed in the America East Tournament.

The game was a pitchers duel up until the fourth inning when Maine broke the stalemate in the bottom of the inning. With runners on the corners, Brandon Vicens laid down an attempted sacrifice bunt which turned into a bunt single, scoring Tyler Schwanz from third and advancing Jonathan Bennett to second. With Bennett making it to third, Hernen Sardinas would hit a sacrifice groundout allowing Bennett to score the second Maine run. Maine led 2-0 after four innings.

Albany answered back in the fifth inning with a bases loaded walk cutting the lead in half. With the bases loaded, Maine releif pitcher Eddie Emerson entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs, and struck out the batter swinging on a 2-2 count to stop the Albany rally. Emerson would pitch 2.1 innings, allowing only one hit, no runs, two walks, and striking out four. 

Maine was able to hold the one-run lead by way of Matthew Pushard entering the game in the top of the eighth inning and pitching 2.0 scoreless innings. He allowed only one hit, no walks, and struck out four in his first career save.

The Black Bears finish the season with a 21-27 overall record and an 8-12 conference record, entering the America East Tournament as the #5 seed. They will be in the first game of the tournament, playing their fourth game in a row against the #4 seed Albany at 11am on America East TV. 

-UMaine-