TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – In non-conference midweek action, the University of Maine baseball team could not keep up with the high-powered Alabama Crimson Tide offense, falling 16-0 on Tuesday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
 
Graduate student Justin Courtney made his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery last April, as the Bangor native pitched four innings, allowing nine hits and seven earned runs, while striking out two against the hot-hitting Crimson Tide (18-5, 1-2 SEC).
 
Colin Ridley batted 2-for-4 on the day with two doubles to lead Black Bears (1-16). Hernen Sardinas, Kevin Doody Danny Casals and Caleb Kerbs and Joe Bramanti all tallied a base knock against Alabama.
 
Ryan Turenne earned two walks on the day, while Kerbs and Jeffrey Omohundro also earned a free pass to first base.
 
Maine looked to get off to a hot start in the top of the first, as Sardinas and Doody led the game off with singles, but two strikeouts and a fly-out would strand runners on the corners.
 
Courtney started strong, allowing just a bunt single in the first, as he struck out the second batter he faced, his first since March 9, 2018.
 
Kerbs earned a walk to leadoff the second inning, but he would be caught stealing second for the final out of the frame. Alabama got on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning, as a sac-fly and a triple combined to score three Tide runs.
 
Maine could not cut into the deficit in the third, as Alabama put a home run over the fence along with an inside-the-park home run which scored two runs. At the end of three, the Tide led 6-0.
 
Ridley doubled with two outs in the top of the fourth, but a fly-out ended the scoring threat.  The Crimson Tide added a run in the bottom half of the seventh on a solo home run to right field, taking a 7-0 advantage over Maine.
 
Nicholas Sinacola took over for Courtney on the mound in the fifth, as a two RBI single would extend Alabama's advantage to 9-0. Sinacola allowed two hits and two walks while striking out a batter in one inning of work.
 
Casals would extend his on-base streak to double-figures with a single down the right field line, but Maine could not send him home. Matthew Pushard entered the game in the sixth for the Black Bears, walking the first batter he faced, but earned pop-outs on the next two batters. A double would send home Alabama's 10^th run of the game in the inning, but Pushard struckout the final batter of the inning to avoid further damage.
 
Maine loaded the bases with two outs in its half of the seventh after a Kerbs' infield single along with walks from Turenne and Omohundro. Maine could not take advantage of the opportunity, as a strikeout ended the frame.
 
Alabama tallied five runs in the seventh, with four of them unearned after an error. The Black Bears threatened in their half of the inning after Ridley's second two-bagger of the day, followed by a single from Bramanti. A groundout and a strikeout would keep the Black Bears off the scoreboard.
 
Ben Terwilliger took over mound duties in the bottom half of the eight, as a sac-fly would increase the Crimson Tide lead to 16-0. A strikeout and fly-out would end the frame with just a single run.
 
In Maine's last half inning in the ninth, Turenne walked to put a runner on the base paths with no outs, but Maine could not send him home after three strikeouts in the inning.
 
Maine will have a quick turnaround, as the Black Bears travel to Troy, Alabama to face the Troy Trojans on Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time at Riddle-Pace Field. The game will be broadcasted live on Troy's Athletics Facebook page.
 
-UMaine-