TROY, Ala. – The University of Maine baseball team closed its Alabama portion of its spring break trip on Wednesday night, falling to Troy, 10-0, at Riddle-Pace Field
Playing 55 miles from his hometown,
Jeffrey Omohundro went 2-for-3 on the day, smacking two base knocks to lead the Black Bear offense (1-17).
Sam McCarthy made his second start of the season, pitching two-plus innings, allowing five earned runs and four hits.
Bobby Cliche made his first career collegiate appearance in a Black Bear uniform in the third inning, pitching 2 and 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and five runs, striking out one.
Jacob Small followed, not allowing a hit in 1 and 2/3 innings, allowing just a single walk.
Peter Kemble pitched the seventh, allowing one hit and two earned runs, while one and striking one out.
Nick Silva closed out the game in the eighth, striking out two and not allowing a run.
After allowing a one-out single and a walk, McCarthy forced a 6-4-3 double play to get out the inning without harm. The Trojans (10-11) led the second inning with back-to-back solo home runs, but could not muster a base runner in the inning, holding a 2-0 advantage after two.
Ryan Turenne earned a one-out walk, while Omohunro hit his first single of the contest to the first base side to put runners on first and second. A line out and fly-out would end the half inning. A two-RBI single and a fielder's choice extended the Trojan lead to 5-0 after three.
In Maine's half of the fourth,
Danny Casals would be hit by a pitch and would advance to second on a wild pitch.
Colin Ridley drew a walk, as Maine looked to put runs on the scoreboard with no outs in the frame. After two strikeouts,
Caleb Kerbs earned a walk to load the bases. A pop-out to second base would end the frame, however.
Cliche retired the side in order in the Troy fourth. Omohundro led off the fifth with his second hit of the contest, but three consecutive fly-outs would end the half inning. The Trojans doubled their lead in the fifth, taking a 10-0 advantage after two doubles and a home run.
Bobby Brennan would draw a two-out walk to put a Black Bear runner on base in the sixth, but a strikeout would strand
Mike Sabatine, a pinch-runner on first.
Small would set the Trojans down 1-2-3 in order in the sixth, not allowing a base runner.
Hernen Sardinas would earn a bases on balls with two outs in the seventh, but Maine could not drive him home. Troy added two on a two-RBI single up the middle, to take a 12-0 advantage.
Silva would not allow the Trojans a run in the eighth, stranding two runners on base.
The Black Bears could not put a runner on base in their last opportiunity in the ninth, ending the contest at Riddle-Pace Field.
Maine will have Thursday and Friday off before opening the America East slate at Binghamton this weekend. A doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday, while a single game will be played on Sunday. The first pitch on Saturday is set for noon at Varsity Field.
-UMaine-
