STARKVILLE, Miss. – Trailing 9-7 in the top of the ninth, the University of Maine baseball team loaded the bases with no outs, but could only register one run in the frame, falling 9-8 to No. 7 Mississippi State at Dudy Noble Field on Sunday afternoon.
The Black Bears (0-13) came back from a 6-2 deficit to take a 7-6 lead after a five-run sixth inning, but the Bulldogs (15-1) tied the contest in the bottom of the sixth and retook the lead with two runs in the bottom of the eight. Maine had the first three batters reach base in the top of the ninth, but the Black Bears could not plate the tying run home.
Every batter in the Maine starting lineup either tallied at least one hit or drove in a run.
Hernen Sardinas led Maine on the day with three hits, while driving in two.
Jeffrey Omohundro also sent home two runs, while
Colin Ridley,
Bobby Brennan and
Cody Pasic all collected a hit and earned an RBI.
Caleb Kerbs,
Danny Casals and
Joe Bramanti also smacked a hit against the Bulldogs.
Cody Laweryson earned his second start of the season, his first since opening day. Limited to a pitch count, he exited after two innings, allowing one hit, two unearned runs, while striking out two.
The Bulldogs took an early 2-0 lead after the first inning after a two-run single. The lead turned to three after a solo shot in the third inning, as
Trevor DeLaite took the mound for Maine.
In Maine's half of the fifth inning, Brennan led the inning off with a double, as single from Pasic put runners on the corners with no outs. Omohundro batted a sacrifice fly to center to score Brennan, as Pasic moved into scoring position on the play. Sardinas followed with a single to score Pasic, as Maine cut the deficit to just one at 3-2.
In bottom half of the fifth, DeLaite set down the first two batters, before back-to-back singles and a three-run homerun extended the Bulldogs' lead to four at 6-2.
It didn't take long for Maine to respond, as the Black Bears loaded up the bases in the top of the sixth. Brennan Pasic and Omohundro earned bases loaded walks in succession to cut the deficit to 6-5. A fielder's choice off the bat of Roper tied the contest up at 6-6. Sardinas picked up Maine's second hit of the inning, lining a single up the middle to score Pasic as the Black Bears took its first lead of the series at 7-6.
Sinacola came in to relieve DeLaite in the sixth, as the Bulldogs would tie the game back up at 7-7 on an RBI single.
Neither team could plate a run in the seventh, but the Bulldogs would reclaim the lead with two runs in the bottom of the eighth.
In Maine's last at bat, Sardinas and Kerbs both singled to start the inning, as Casals walked to load the bases with no outs. The Bulldogs would get an out on a force out at home, before Ridley sac-fly to right field scored Kerbs to make the game a one run game. Casals advanced to third base on the play, as the tying run stood just 90 feet away. A ground-out to the Bulldog would end the contest, as Mississippi State held on to win 9-8.
Maine will head to Alabama for its spring break trip next weekend, which begins with a three-game series with Samford. The first pitch on Friday is set for 5:00 p.m. EST. After facing Samford, the Black Bears will have midweek games against Alabama on Tuesday, March 19 along with a single game against Troy the following day on Wednesday, March 20.
-UMaine-
