COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The University of Maine’s Black Bears rallied from 2-0 and 5-2 deficits here Sunday, but it wasn’t enough as Texas A&M received a bases-loaded, pinch-hit single from sophomore Brian Bittiker in the bottom of the ninth inning to subdue Maine 6-5 in the rubber game of their three-game series.

The teams had split a Saturday twinbill with Maine winning their season opener 6-5 before A&M came back to win the nightcap 11-2.

The Aggies, who were ranked third in two national polls and ninth in another before the series, improved their record to 17-2. Maine will take its 1-2 record to the University of Texas-Pan American where the Bears will meet the host school to open the Texas-Pan American Tournament on Monday night at 8 o’clock in Edinburg.

On Sunday, the Bears rallied for three runs in the ninth to tie the Aggies on singles by Shawn Tobin and Gabe Duross, a wild pitch by reliever and winner Chris Clemons (3-0), Justin Tomberlin’s one-out two-run double, and a two-out wild pitch by Clemons that allowed Tomberlin to score from third.

But the Aggies wasted little time pushing across the game-winner against Maine junior reliever Val Beaudet.

Robert Harris singled to left to open the inning and raced to third on Brian Thomas’ base hit to right. Rob Trimble was walked intentionally and Bittiker followed with a long single over the head of drawn-in left fielder Bill Champi.

Texas A&M took a 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and fifth innings off Bear starter Jason Dryswak, but the Bears rallied for two runs in the sixth on a walk to Shanan Knox, Chad White’s single, Champi’s RBI base hit and Tobin’s sacrifice fly.

Those were the first two earned runs off Aggie starter Trey Moore this season. Moore had gone 27 innings without allowing an earned runseason. Moore had gone 27 innings without allowing an earned run.

Thomas broke the tie in the seventh inning by singling home Steve Claybrook, who had singled and stolen second, and A&M added two unearned runs in the eighth on Maine first baseman Duross’ two-out error.

Harris, Thomas, Trimble and Moore had two hits apiece for A&M and Champi had a pair of hits for Maine.

Moore hurled 7 1/3 innings of three-hit, two-run ball with eight strikeouts and five walks. Maine’s Dryswak also pitched well, surrendering eight hits and three runs in seven innings. He fanned three and walked four.

On Saturday, Maine senior center fielder and tri-captain Chad White, who had singled home the go-ahead run in the fifth inning, made a great diving catch on Billy Harlan’s liner to the gap with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to preserve Maine’s opening-game win.

Trimble followed with an RBI infield hit to pull the Aggies within 6-5, but Bear southpaw reliever Lance Bogardus induced Moore to ground to first to end the game.

Maine had trailed 4-3 entering the fifth inning of the seven-inning game, but Tomberlin singled and pinch-runner Wayne Conlan scored on Todd Livingston’s double to tie it. White then singled home Livingston.

The Bears added an insurance run in the seventh on Livingston’s single and stolen base, a ground-out and Trimble’s passed ball.

Champi, who transferred to Maine from Fordham University (N.Y.), belted a three-run homer to left in his first at-bat in a Maine uniform to give Maine a 3-0 first-inning lead.

The Aggies tied it with three runs in the second inning on four hits and an error and took a 4-3 lead with a run in the fourth on Lee Fedora’s single, Tobin’s passed ball and Eric Gonzalez’ base hit.

Livingston and White had two hits apiece for Maine and senior righty and tri-captain Ronnie Hewes hurled six innings of seven-hit, four-run (three earned) ball to get the win. He fanned four and walked one. Bogardus got the save.

Harris, Trimble and Gonzalez had two hits each for A&M.

In the nightcap, Fedora’s two-run single keyed a four-run fourth inning rally that erased a 2-2 tie and sent A&M on their way to victory.

Maine starter Jason Rajotte walked seven in 3 2/3 innings before being relieved by LeRoy Decker. Kyle Kennison came on to relieve Decker in the sixth.

Harlan and Harris had two hits apiece for A&M. Kelly Wunsch hurled eight innings of six-hit, two-run 10-strikeout baseball to pick up the win.

Mike Sidoti’s single and White’s sacrifice fly delivered the Maine runs.

Black Bears 6, Aggies 5 (Saturday’s 1st Game)

Maine Texas A&M

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Livingston, 2b 3 3 2 1 Claybrook, rf 2 0 0 0

Knox, ss 2 1 0 0 Alexander, ph 1 0 0 0

White, cf 3 0 2 1 Harris, ss 4 0 2 0

Champi, lf 4 1 1 3 Thomas, cf 3 0 0 0

Tobin, c 3 0 1 0 Harlan, lf 4 1 1 0

Stupienski, rf 3 0 1 0 Trimble, c 4 1 2 1

DuRoss, 1b 3 0 0 0 Moore, dh 4 1 1 0

Tomberlin, dh 2 0 1 0 Fedora, 3b 3 1 1 0

Conlan, pr 0 1 0 0 Curl, 1b 3 0 0 0

Puleo, ph 1 0 0 0 Gonzalez, 2b 2 1 2 2

Sidoti, 3b 2 0 0 0

Totals 26 6 8 5 Totals 30 5 9 3

Maine 300 020 1 – 6

Texas A&M 030 100 1 – 5

E – Knox 2, White, DuRoss 2B – Livingston HR – Champi (1) LOB -Maine 4, A&M 7 DP – Maine 2, A&M 2 SB – Livingston, White

Pitching Summary

PITCHER IP H R BB SO

MAINE

Hewes (W, 1-0) 6 7 4 1 4

Bogardus 1 2 1 1 0

Texas A&M

Granger (L, 3-1) 5 4 5 4 4

Codrington 2 4 1 1 1

HBP – Thomas (By Bogardus) WP – Granger PB – Tobin, Trimble TIME -2:15

Aggies 11, Black Bears 2 (Saturday’s 2nd Game)

Maine Texas A&M

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Livingston, 2b 5 0 1 0 Harlan, 1b 5 1 2 1

Knox, ss 2 1 1 0 Bittiker, 1b 0 0 0 0

White, cf 2 0 0 1 Harris, ss 3 1 2 2

Conlan, cf 0 0 0 0 Thomas, cf 3 1 0 0

Champi, lf 4 0 1 0 Minor, lf 0 0 0 0

Tobin, dh 4 1 1 0 Alex’der,l-cf 3 0 0 0

Stupienski, rf 4 0 1 0 Fedora, 3b 3 1 1 2

DuRoss, 1b 4 0 0 0 Johnson, c 1 0 0 0

Puleo, c 2 0 0 0 Smith, dh 4 1 1 1

Tomberlin, ph 1 0 0 0 Gonzalez, 2b 3 2 0 0

Reed, c 1 0 0 0 Martin, 2b 1 0 0 0

Sidoti, 3b 3 0 1 1 Lewis, c-3b 2 2 1 1

Ando, 3b 1 0 0 0 Claybrook, rf 3 2 1 1

Totals 33 2 6 2 Totals 31 11 8 9

Maine 110 000 000 – 2

Texas A&M 020 420 30x – 11

E – livingston, Knox, Champi, Martin 2, Thomas 2B – Knox, Claybrook 3B – Harlan, Smith LOB -Maine 8, A&M 8 DP – A&M 1 SB – Knox, Thomas, Harris, Gonzalez SF – White, Harris, Lewis

Pitching Summary

PITCHER IP H R BB SO

MAINE

Rajotte (L, 0-1) 3 2/3 4 6 7 2

Decker 1 1/3 2 2 0 1

Kennison 3 2 3 2 3

TEXAS A&M

Wunsch (W, 3-0) 8 6 2 1 10

Jansky 1 0 0 0 0

HBP – Knox, Conlan by Wunsch; Harris by Decker WP – Decker BK – Wunsch TIME -2:54

Aggies 6, Black Bears 5 (Sunday’s Game)

Maine Texas A&M

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Livingston, 2b 4 0 0 0 Harland, 1b 5 1 1 0

Knox, ss 2 1 0 0 Harris, ss 5 1 2 0

White, cf 3 1 1 0 Thomas, cf 3 1 2 2

Champi, lf 4 0 2 1 Trimble, c 4 0 2 0

Tobin, c 2 1 1 1 Moore, dh 4 0 2 1

Stupienski, rf 4 0 0 0 Minor, pr 0 0 0 0

DuRoss, 1b 4 1 1 0 Bittiker, ph 1 0 1 1

Tomberlin, 3b 4 1 1 2 Fedora, 3b 4 1 1 0

Conlan, dh 2 0 0 0 Alexander, lf 3 0 0 0

Puleo, ph 1 0 0 0 Gonzalez, 2b 3 1 0 0

Claybrook, rf 3 1 1 0

Totals 30 5 6 4 Totals 35 6 12 4

Maine 000 002 003 – 5

Texaw A&M 100 010 121 – 6

E – Tobin, DuRoss, Moore 2B – Tomberlin LOB -Maine 5, A&M 6 SB – Harlan, Thomas, Fedora, Claybrook, Alexander SF – Tobin

Pitching Summary

PITCHER IP H R BB SO

MAINE

Dryswack 7 8 3 4 3

Beaudet (L, 0-1) 1 4 3 2 1

TEXAS A&M

Moore 7 1/3 3 2 5 8

Clemons (W, 3-0) 1 2/3 3 3 0 2

HBP – Livingston by Moore WP – Clemons 2 TIME -2:44