VESTEL, NY – The University of Maine baseball team started out conference play with a win over the Binghamton Bearcats, 11-7 on Friday afternoon.
 
First Inning: Joe Bramanti got the offense going early for the Black Bears as he hit an RBI fielder's choice to first base, grabbing the lead just 4 batters in for the Black Bears. Jake Rainess followed up with a sac-fly to deep right field, increasing the Black Bears lead to 2-0.
 
Second Inning: Quinn McDaniel made it a lop-sided game early as he hit his second home run of the season, this one a 3-run blast to left field, giving Maine the 5-0 lead in the second. Jordan Schulefand (2 Stolen Bases) and Jeff Mejia (1 Stolen Base) came around to score.
 
Fourth Inning: Quinn McDaniel delivered yet again for the Black Bears as he hit an RBI double to center field, his third hit in as many at bats, to give Maine the 6-0 lead as he drove in Jordan Schulefand.
 
Fifth Inning: Scout Knotts kept the Black Bears going as he hit his second home run of the season, this one a being a no-doubt, solo home run to deep left field.
 
Jake Rainess would follow up Knotts with a home run of his own, making it back-to-back home runs on back-to-back pitches for the Black Bears. For Rainess, his second of the season was a solo homer to left field.
 
Thomas Babalis's day would come to an end in the fifth inning, as he allowed 8 runs, all earned, striking out 5 across his 4 and 1/3 innings pitched for Binghamton.
 
Jeff Mejia would add in an RBI single, driving in Jake Marquez, and Jeremiah Jenkins would hit a sac-fly, driving in Jordan Schulefand, Increasing the Black Bear's lead, 10-0.
 
Sixth Inning: Connor Aoki got Binghamton in the score column as he hit a 2-run home run to cut into the Maine lead. Devan Bade scored on the play. Evin Sullivan would come around to score on a throwing error by the Black Bear defense later in the inning, bringing the Bearcat run total in the inning to three.
 
Trevor Labonte's day would come to an end in the seventh inning, as he pitched 6 and 1/3 innings, striking out 8 and allowing 3 runs.
 
Eighth Inning: Scout Knotts hit an RBI groundout to second base, bringing home Jeremiah Jenkins and giving Maine an 8-run lead at 11-3.
 
Ninth Inning: Logan Haskell scored in the bottom of the ninth on a balk by Nick Caviglia. Cavan Tully would hit a single later in the inning, driving home Isaiah Corry. Connor Aoki followed up with a 2-run double to center field.
 
Maine would come away with the victory, 11-7.
 
Trevor Labonte picked up the win for the Black Bears.
 
Thomas Babalis took the loss for Binghamton.
 
Maine, who moves to 1-0 in America East play, stays in Vestel to face off against Binghamton on Saturday, March 19 for game two of the three game series. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 P.M.
 
-UMaine-