UM Bears end losing streak

loading...

ORONO – With league-leading Delaware heading toward Maine for Sunday’s crucial North Atlantic Conference doubleheader, the University of Maine baseball team needed a boost of confidence.

The Black Bears, who had been struggling through a six-game losing streak and whose postseason prospects are shaky, got exactly that Friday night at Mahaney Diamond. Maine pounded Husson College pitching with a 14-hit attack while cruising to a 13-3 victory.

Maine improved to 19-34 going into Saturday’s 1 p.m. non-league game here against Colby College of Waterville. The Braves slipped to 22-16.

Coach John Winkin’s Bears avenged last month’s embarrassing 6-0 loss to Husson in Bangor, receiving hits from 10 different players.

Junior righthander Steve Coombs, who pitched six innings to earn his team-leading fourth victory, sees plenty of good coming from Friday’s effort.

“We need some momentum going into this weekend, because those are big games,” Coombs said. “We needed to get everybody playing 100 percent. We’ve all got to be up for these games, because we’ve got to get at least one out of two (against Delaware). These games are going to really build up our confidence. Everbody’s focusing on what they have to do.”

Maine committed five errors, but only one of those led to a run. Winkin, while pleased to have his team show some offense and put one in the win column, saw one particular bright spot during the evening.

“The biggest help for us tonight was to have Sibley pitch against us, because we’re expecting a lefty on Sunday,” Winkin said. “I really relished the opportunity to bat against a lefty, because we haven’t faced many lefties.”

With the game tied at 1-1, the Bears took the lead for good with a five-run rally in the third. Keith Croteau led off with a single, stole second and moved up on a passed ball.

T.J. Sheedy walked and Steve Puleo ripped a run-scoring single to center for his third hit of the night. Steve Lancaster beat out a bunt single, then John Ellis delivered an RBI fielder’s choice.

Two errors expedited the exit of Husson starter Ryan Snair, and a Nick Caiazzo single and Rex Turner’s fielder’s choice led to two more runs.

Black Bears 13, Braves 3

Husson Maine

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

McCuaig, ss 4 2 1 0 Sheedy, cf 3 3 2 0

Novak, 2b 3 1 2 1 Puleo, dh 4 2 3 2

McCarthy, 2b 1 0 0 0 Bianchi, dh 1 0 0 0

Martin, lf 4 0 1 1 Lancaster, rf 2 0 1 0

McBride, rf 4 0 1 1 Huff, rf 2 1 1 2

Swift, 1b 2 0 1 0 Ellis, c 3 1 0 1

Boure, 1b 1 0 1 0 R. Coombs, c 2 0 1 1

Peary, dh 3 0 0 0 Longo, 1b 2 1 1 0

Anderson, dh 1 0 0 0 Jolliffe, 1b 3 1 1 2

Hashey, 3b 3 0 0 0 Caiazzo, 3b 4 1 2 2

a-Brigalli 1 0 0 0 Fernandez, 3b 1 0 0 0

Fogg, c 2 0 0 0 Turner, lf 4 0 0 1

Parks, c 1 0 0 0 Halsted, 2b 5 1 1 1

Shaw, c 1 0 0 0 Croteau, ss 2 1 1 0

Alaimo, cf 3 0 1 0 Ando, ss 1 1 0 0

b-Williams 1 0 0 0

Totals 35 3 8 3 Totals 39 13 14 11

a – grounded out for Hashey in 9th inning

b – struck out for Alaimo in 9th inning

Husson 100 020 000 – 3

Maine 105 500 20x – 13

E – Halsted, Turner 2, Caiazzo, Ando; Novak 2, McBride 2B – Puleo 3B – McBride HR – Caiazzo (11) LOB – Husson 6, Maine 7 DP – Jolliffe to Ando to Wickett SB – Alaimo, Croteau, Ellis SF – Huff

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Husson

Snair (L, 2-3) 2 1/3 5 6 5 1 1

Sibley 3 2/3 8 7 7 3 3

Parks 1 1 0 0 0 1

Brown 1 0 0 0 0 0

Maine

S. Coombs (W, 4-1) 6 7 3 2 1 4

Smith 1 0 0 0 0 1

Wickett 1 1 0 0 0 0

Quinn 1 0 0 0 0 2

WP – S. Coombs 2, Sibley PB – Ellis, Fogg TIME – 2:19 ATTENDANCE – 265