LOWELL, Massachusetts - The Maine Black Bears, seeded number five in the conference tournament, faced off against the four seed Albany on Wednesday morning as the Great Danes blanked the Black Bears 3-0 in the first game of the 2017 America East Tournament. 

Jonah Normandeau got the start for Maine; he went 5.1 innings, allowing four hits, two runs, one of them earned, one walk and two strikeouts. He threw a total of 97 pitches in contest. He falls to 2-6 on the year with the loss.

Albany took the lead on a botched caught-stealing attempt in the second inning, as the Albany runner at third was able to advance home to give Albany the 1-0 lead. A solo shot off Normandeau in the fifth made it 2-0, and the final run came on a fielders choice in the eighth as a hard hit made it difficult to turn two, and the runner was advanced home on the throw to the plate.

Cody Laweryson and Connor Johnson saw action in releif for the Black Bears, both going 1.1 innings. Laweryson struck out three batters in his outing, allowing only one hit and one walk, while Johnson allowed two hits, one earned run, and struck out one.

Maine had several chances to put a run on the board but were cut short by the Albany defense, as Maine was held without a run through nine offensive innings.

The Black Bears will face off with the winner of game 2 between Stony Brook and Hartford, later on Wednesday, as the first pitch is currently scheduled for 6pm.

-UMaine-