UNION, New Jersey - The Maine baseball program split the first day of a weekend doubleheader set against the New Jersey Institute of Technology, taking game one behind another Nick Sinacola win before dropping game two.

Game one went the way every game one has gone for Maine this season, as Nicholas Sinacola put up his fifth straight victory. This one was a grind for Sinacola, as he surrendered seven hits and two earned runs in five innings but kept up his torrid strikeout pace with ten alongside three walks. Andrew Ruggiero put in two spotless innings of relief working to seal the win.

Ryan Turenne got Maine's offense jump-started in a major way, launching a two-run home-run in the third inning to put Maine ahead. After NJIT evened things out with runs in the third and fourth, the Black Bears hung five runs on the board in the sixth and an insurance one in the seventh to carry Maine to the 8-2 win. 

The Black Bear nine finally found their stroke, putting up nine hits and eight runs, outscoring their total run output from last weekend's series. Scout Knotts went 2-4 with a pair of runs scored and a stolen base, and Alex McKenney went 2-3 with two RBIs to help Turenne lead the offense. 

Game two was a back and forth affair, starting right away. Joe Bramanti launched a three-run home run in the first inning to put Maine out in front, and Turenne put his second home run of the day into the right-field bullpen to lead off the second. 

Maine built the lead out to 8-3 in the fifth inning on a Bramanti 2-RBI double. NJIT tied it in the bottom of the sixth, but another Scout Knotts run in the next half put Maine back on top 9-8. The wheels fell off the Maine bullpen in the seventh, as NJIT went double, wild pitch, scored on a wild pitch, and RBI single to plate two runs and take the 10-9 lead. 

The score held through the ninth, with Maine putting two runners on in the final innings but stranding both to fall by the 10-9 final. 

Joe Bramanti recorded five RBIs on the day, as he himself was the last Black Bear to hit that mark in 2019. He went 3-9 on the day as a whole, with a home run and a double. Ryan Turenne matched him with a 4-9 day with two home runs and three RBIs. Scout Knotts went 5-7 on the day, he has hits in 9 of the last 10 games, as well as scoring six runs today. 

Maine and NJIT will do it again tomorrow, with another pair of games starting at 11:00 on AmericaEast.tv