Friars defeat Maine> Black Bear rally in 9th falls short

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Andy Byron and Todd Murray combined on a six-hitter and the University of Maine came up short with a ninth-inning rally as Providence claimed a 3-2 baseball victory Wednesday at Hendricken Field.

Murray worked out of a ninth-inning jam, inducing Keith Croteau to ground out to second base with runners on second and third and two out, to earn the save for the 13-3-1 Friars. Byron stymied the Black Bears, now 3-24, for five innings, allowing only Ron Coombs’ bunt single.

Maine showed some resilience in the ninth when Nick Caiazzo singled and moved up on Tony Bianchi’s pinch-hit single. Tony Fernandez delivered a run-scoring single to center field, but John Ellis bounced out to first and Croteau couldn’t come up with the heroics.

Maine took a 1-0 lead in the first inning without benefit of a hit, but the Friars caught up to Bears freshman starter Pete Fisher in the fourth and fifth innings. The hosts went ahead for good in the fourth when Scott Friedholm doubled and rode home on Pete Vafiades’ triple. He scored on a Mike Harrington sacrifice fly.

In the fifth, Corey Bike and Pete Tucci stroked back to back doubles for the eventual winning run.

Maine had scored in the first on consecutive walks to Bryan Harvie and T.J. Sheedy, a passed ball, and an errant throw to second on Sheedy’s stolen base. The Bears ran themselves out of the fourth inning when Rex Turner, who had reached on an error, was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on an error.

Maine returns to action this weekend with noon doubleheaders against Towson State on Saturday in Maryland and against Delaware on Sunday.

Friars 3, Black Bears 2

Maine (3-24) Providence (13-3-1)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Harvie, ss 1 1 0 0 McDonald, ss 3 0 0 0

Sheedy, cf 3 0 0 0 Bike, 1b 4 1 2 0

Longo, dh 4 0 1 0 Tucci, lf 4 0 2 1

Caiazzo, 1b 4 1 1 0 Friedholm, c 3 1 1 0

Turner, lf 4 0 0 0 Kinski, 3b 4 0 1 0

R. Coombs, rf 3 0 1 0 Vafiades, cf 4 1 1 1

b-Bianchi 1 0 1 0 Harrington,rf 3 0 1 1

Fernandez, 3b 4 0 1 1 Tamul, dh 3 0 0 0

Ellis, c 4 0 1 0 a-Pandolfo 1 0 0 0

Croteau, 2b 4 0 0 0 Palmieri, 2b 3 0 0 0

Totals 32 2 6 1 Totals 32 3 8 3

b – singled for Coombs in the ninth

a – reached on an error for Tamul in the eighth

Maine 100 000 001 – 2

Providence 000 210 00x – 3

E – Harvie, Caiazzo, Fernandez; Friedholm, Kinski, Palmieri 2B – Bike, Tucci, Friedholm, Harrington 3B – Vafiades LOB – Maine 7; Providence 9 DP – Palmieri to McDonald to Bike SB – Sheedy SF – Harrington

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Maine

Fisher (L,1-6) 6 7 3 3 3 4

S. Coombs 1 1 0 0 0 0

Longo 2/3 0 0 0 0 1

Quinn 1/3 0 0 0 0 1

Providence

Byron (W,3-0) 5 1 1 0 3 5

Murray (S,1) 4 5 1 1 1 5

WP – Fisher 2 TIME – 2:21 ATTENDANCE – 68