ORONO, Maine – In a back-and-forth non-conference series finale, the University of Maine baseball team could not rally one last time, falling to UMass by a score of 6-5 in the rubber match at Mahaney Diamond on Saturday night.
Hernen Sardinas and
Danny Casals each belted home runs against the Minutemen. Casals added a double in the contest, while
Caleb Kerbs collected the other RBI for the Black Bears (8-24) on an RBI single.
Cody Laweryson allowed just two hits in six innings on the mound, striking out four while allowing there walks (one intentional) in the no-decision.
Nicholas Sinacola lasted two outs in the seventh, allowing three runs, all earned.
Dillon Stimpson (1-1) completed the final 2 1/3 innings, giving up three unearned runs and two hits, while ringing up three Minutemen in the loss.
Laweryson has posted a 1.30 ERA in his last four starts, allowing just 16 hits in 27.2 innings, striking out 31 while walking just eight. He has held batters to a .174 batting average in that span.
Spencer Bergeron (1-0) earned the victory for UMass out of the 'pen, pitching the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing just one run.
Maine would take the lead in the bottom of the second, as
Joe Bramanti would single to third base and advance to second on an errant throw. After heading to third on a groundout, the native of North Andover, Mass. would score on a wild pitch.
Laweryson would retire the Minutemen in order through the first three innings. He would get out of jam in the fourth, stranding runners on the corners. The Minutemen also threatened to score in the sixth, as they loaded the bases on a single, hit-by-pitch and an intentional walk, but the product of Moscow, Maine would force a fielder's choice to keep UMass off the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the sixth, Casals would double and Bramantia was plunked by a pitch to put Black Bears on first and second. Kevin Dow came on to pitch for UMass, as Kerbs would find the gap between the third baseman and shortstop to score Casals.
With the Black Bears leading 2-0, Sinacola relieved Laweryson in the seventh, as a walk and a double would put UMass on the board. The Minutemen would put up a three-spot in the inning, as an RBI single and RBI triple would UMass its first lead of the game at 3-2.
Dillon Stimpson got the final out to prevent further damage in the seventh.
After
Jeffrey Omohundro would draw a walk with one out in the seventh, Sardinas would blast a home run to right field, as Maine quickly retook the lead at 4-3. UMass would tie the game in the eighth, as a throwing error would score a runner from second.
In the top of ninth, UMass would begin the inning with a runner on second after a throwing error by the Maine third baseman. A two-RBI single would eventually break the 4-4 tie, giving the Minutemen a 6-4 lead.
Maine would not concede easily, as Casals rocketed his fifth home run of the season over the right field wall to lead off the inning. After a strikeout,
Brogan Searle-Belanger would knock a pinch-hit single to center to put the tying run on base. A flyout and strikeout would prevent a victory however, as UMass would win the game and series .
Originally scheduled for a noon start, the game was pushed to 7:00p.m. due to inclement weather.
The Black Bears return to America East play next weekend, when Maine visits UAlbany for a three-game weekend series in the Empire State capital. Friday's doubleheader and Sunday's single game will both have a noon start.
-UMaine-
