LYNCHBURG, Va. – The University of Maine baseball team could not pick up its first win of the season on Saturday, falling 7-0 to Liberty in the first game of a doubleheader, while dropping game two by a score of 3-2 on Saturday evening at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
Joe Bramanti and
Jeffrey Omohundro both tallied RBI doubles in the fourth inning of game two to knot the contest up at 2-2.
Caleb Kerbs registered a single, double and a walk in game one, while
Hernen Sardinas tallied a single in both games for the Black Bears (0-9).
In game one,
Mike Sabatine and Sardinas both walked in the opening inning, however both base-runners would be caught stealing second base to end the inning without any runs.
Peter Kemble (0-2) would get the first two batters he faced in the first inning, but a fielding error, followed three consecutive walks gave the Flames (7-4) a 1-0 advantage in the first frame.
After the Black Bears went down in order in the second, Liberty led off the second with a triple. However, the Black Bears pulled off their first double play of the season, a 5-3-2 from
Danny Casals to Bramanti to
Ryan Turenne to clear the base paths. Liberty would end up smacking a solo homerun to right field to take a 2-0 lead over Maine.
Liberty extended its lead to 3-0 in the third inning on an RBI single.
Matthew Pushard would relieve Kemble on the mound with two outs in the frame, earning the final out on a strikeout with runners on the corners to avoid further damage.
The Black Bears earned their first hit of the contest in the top of the fourth as Sardinas hit a liner to short, but could get nothing going.
The Flames would add two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to own a 7-0 edge over the Black Bears. Maine threatened to put runs on the scoreboard in its half of the seventh as both Kerbs and
Colin Ridley recorded singles. A strikeout would end the opportunity, however.
Jake Roper added his fifth career hit in the eighth on a single with two outs, but a groundout voided the threat to score. In the top of the ninth, Kerbs led the inning off with a two-bagger, as Casals followed with a one-out single to move him over to third. Undfortunately, back-to-back strike outs would end the contest as the Flames earned the 7-0 victory.
Dillon Stimpson pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for Maine, allowing just two hits while striking out two and walking zero batters in the process.
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In game two, Sabatine would open the contest with a base on balls for the second consecutive game, but a fly-out, strikeout and ground-out would end the Black Bears first opportunity.
Nick Silva would take the mound for the second time this season, allowing just a single in the first inning. As the fire alarm went off at Liberty Baseball Stadium, Jonathan Embry would smack a solo homerun to right field, which Sardinas nearly robbed. The Flames would go down in order after that, taking a 1-0 advantage into the third.
Liberty added a run in the third, as back-to-back walks and a bunt single loaded the bases with no outs. After Silva's third strikeout, a sac-fly to right field would score a Flame as Liberty extended its lead to 2-0. A fly-out ended the chance for any more runs in the inning.
Casals led Maine's half of the fourth with a walk, and a ground-out would move him into scoring position at second base. Bramanti would line a double to left field, scoring Casals for Maine's first run of the double header. After a ground-out, Omohundro's second double as a Black Bear would even the score with two outs in the inning.
After Silva struck out the first two batters he faced in the fourth, a hit-by-pitch and walk would end his evening on the mound. Silva allowed three hits in 3 2/3 innings pitched, allowing two earned runs, while striking out five and walking three on 81 pitches.
Trevor DeLaite (0-1) entered the contest, walking the first batter he faced, but would strike out the ensuing batter with the bases loaded to keep the score tied at 2-2.
In the Liberty fifth, DeLaite stranded a runner on third after a one-out triple as a ground-out and strikeout kept the score tied.
In the bottom of the seventh, DeLaite did not allow a hit, however a hit-by-pitch, an intentional walk, and a base on balls loaded the bases with one out. The Bangor native would strikeout the next batter on eight pitches for the second out, but the next Flame earned a walk to send home the go-ahead run, as the Flames retook the lead at 3-2.
The Black Bears would have a base runner in the eighth on an error by the first baseman, but nothing would cross home plate.
Nicholas Sinacola appeared in the bottom of the eighth for Maine forcing a ground-out and back-to-back strikeouts in an easy inning for the freshman. The Black Bears went down in order in the top of the ninth, as Liberty earned the 3-2 victory.
Due to impending rain, Sunday's finale has been moved up to a noon start. There will be no live steam, but Jim Churchill will be on the call on 96.1 WGUY FM starting at 11:30 a.m.
-UMaine-
