CARY, NC – The University of Maine baseball team split the double header on Saturday, winning game 1 and losing game 2 against Penn State.
 
GAME 1:
 
Sixth Inning: Jordan Schulefand singled to third base, and then with some help from Jake Marquez with a sac-bunt, a steal of third base, he was able to come home on a wild pitch thrown by Kellan Tulio.
 
Penn State would have an answer as Cole Bartels hit a double to right field to drive in a pair of runs,Matt Wood and Jay Harry, giving Penn State a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth, which marked the end of the day for UMaine starting pitcher, Caleb Leys.
 
Eighth Inning: Jay Harry got the inning off with a bang as he hit a home run off of UMaine reliever Lief Bigelow, to increase the Penn State lead for his squad to 3-1.
 
Ninth Inning: Maine took total control of the game in the top of the inning, as Myles Sargent's great bunt attempt forced the Penn State pitcher, to throw the ball away, resulting in Quinn McDaniel scoring on the play.
 
Scout Knotts then came up with the biggest hit of the contest, a triple to center field that resulted in two runners scoring, Joe Bramanti and Myles Sargent, as Maine took the lead. Knotts would end up scoring two pitches later on a wild pitch.
 
Matthew Pushard would come in the bottom of the Ninth and pick up his first save of the 2022 season, striking out 2. Lief Bigelow picks up the victory in relief, his first of the season and first for the Black Bears. Bigelow struck out 3 and allowed on only hit, a home run.

Maine picks up the win 5-3.
 
Kellan Tulio had a quality start for Penn State, allowing one run and striking out 5. Jaden Henline took the loss in the game, allowing 4 runs, 3 earned in relief. He struck out 4.
 
Caleb Leys went 5 and 1/3 for the Black Bears in his first career start, allowing 2 earned runs and striking out 7.
 
GAME 2:
 
Second Inning: Maine got out to an early 1-0 lead over Penn State in game two of the double header as Jeremiah Jenkins hit a hard ground ball to first that was mishandled and led to Joe Bramanti scoring on the play.
 
Fourth Inning: Colin Fitzgerald was perfect his first time through the lineup for the Black Bears, but that was before he faced the order for the second time. He allowed 4 runs, all earned in the fourth inning as he was chased from the contest after just 3 and 2/3 of work. Noah Lewis came in in relief and sat down the first batter he faced, getting Maine out of the inning down just 3 runs, a 4-1 lead for Penn State.
 
Fifth Inning: Joe Bramanti kept up his offensive surge to begin the season as he drove in another run, this time via a single to center field that drove in Jeff Mejia. Ryan Turenne followed suit and drove in a run of his own to get the Black Bears to only down 1, a 4-3 score.
 
Penn State would have an answer as Tayven Kelly hit an RBI single to right field, driving in Matt Wood, to increase their lead. Anthony Steele would follow up the RBI single with a big hit of his own, a 2-RBI triple to deep center, driving in Matt Wood and Tayven Kelly.
 
Eighth Inning: Josh Spiegel gave his squad some insurance runs as he drove in a pair with a double to deep right center. Matt Wood and C Bartels came around and scored on the play.

Penn State comes away with the win, 9-3.
 
Colin Fitzgerald picks up the loss for the Black Bears as he goes 3 2/3, allowing 4 earned runs and striking out a pair.
 
Tommy Molsky gets credit with the win as he threw 4 2/3 of 3 run, 2 earned baseball, striking out 6.
 
Maine looks to wrap up the weekend as they face William & Mary on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 10:00 A.M.
 
-UMaine-