Bears blank Mules> Sharp outing for Cochran

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ORONO – Jared Cochran hasn’t been on the mound as often as he would like this spring for the University of Maine baseball team.

That didn’t keep the junior righthander from turning in an impressive performance Wednesday evening at Mahaney Diamond.

Cochran shut out Colby College of Waterville on four hits through 7 1/3 innings, carrying the Black Bears to a 5-0 victory over the White Mules in their home opener.

Maine takes a 17-14 record into Saturday’s America East doubleheader against Towson. Division III Colby slipped to 11-7.

“Jared was clutch,” said Maine coach Paul Kostacopoulos. “I would think you’re going to see more of Jared. If he throws like that, you will.”

Cochran, making only his second start of the season, appeared sharp despite his infrequent outings. He also ignored the cold, exhibiting a good fastball, an effective slurve, and a tantalizing changeup.

The former Skowhegan High School standout struck out seven and did not walk a batter, but was lifted in the eighth after throwing 106 pitches.

“Being in a relief role, you don’t get an opportunity to have that many innings, so it was kind of nice,” Cochran said.

“It’s always nice to show the coaches that you can pitch. I had all three pitches working, actually. My breaking ball was working a lot better at the end of the game than it was at the beginning.”

Junior righty Eric O’Brien picked up his first save, retiring all five batters he faced.

The Bears, who have struggled at the plate of late, needed five innings to measure Colby starter Marty Whitmore (3-1). The righthander had a no-hitter for 4 2/3 innings before Brandon Brewer singled to center field.

“We knew coming in that we’d see a lot of off-speed stuff,” said Brewer, who collected three hits. “[Whitmore] kept us off-balance quite well, but our bats came around later.”

Maine scored all the runs it would need in the sixth. Brian Poire walked and took second on Julian Bracali’s single to left. One out later, Whitmore hit Jon Hambelton to load the bases.

Freshman Brett Ouellette then provided a big spark, lacing a two-run double to left-center.

“If Brett doesn’t get that hit, we’re squeezing those bats awfully tight the next inning,” Kostacopoulos said. “It basically won the game for us.”

The Bears chased Whitmore in the seventh after Brewer’s leadoff double and an RBI single to right by Bryan Harvie. Poire greeted reliever Brian DiBello with a hit-and-run single to right-center and Hambelton later provided a sacrifice fly.

Maine added a run in the eighth on a bad-hop single by Kregg Jarvais, a passed ball, and Brewer’s single to right.

Brewer was encouraged by Cochran’s outing.

“Hopefully, that will do a lot for his confidence and our confidence in him, and coach’s confidence in him,” Brewer said.

Andrew Tripp doubled for Colby.

Black Bears 5, White Mules 0

Colby (11-7) Maine (17-14)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Tripp, 2b 4 0 1 0 Poire, 3b 4 1 1 0

DiStasi, 3b 4 0 0 0 Bracali, 2b 4 1 1 0

Paquette, ss 4 0 0 0 Ross, lf 3 0 0 0

Lord, lf 4 0 1 0 Hambelton, 1b 2 0 0 1

Domareki, rf 3 0 0 0 Peel, dh 2 0 0 0

Goldman, 1b-c 3 0 1 0 Genest, dh 2 0 0 0

Hiltz, dh 2 0 0 0 Ouellette, cf 4 0 1 2

Forsyth, dh 1 0 0 0 Jarvais, c 4 1 1 0

Morita, cf 3 0 1 0 Brewer, rf 3 1 3 1

Smith, c 2 0 0 0 Harvie, ss 3 1 1 1

a-Simard 1 0 0 0

Cummings, 1b 0 0 0 0

Totals 31 0 4 0 Totals 31 5 8 5

a-fouled out for Smith in the 8th

Colby College 000 000 000 – 0

Maine 000 002 21x – 5

E – Poire 2 2B – Tripp, Ouellette, Brewer LOB – Colby 4, Maine 8 DP – Bracali to Harvie to Hambelton SB – Poire 2, Ross, Brewer 2 SF – Hambelton

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Colby

Whitmore (L,3-1) 6 5 4 4 3 5

DiBello 2 3 1 0 1 0

Maine

Cochran (W,1-0) 7 1/3 4 0 0 0 7

O’Brien (S,1) 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 2

HBP – Hambelton by Whitmore PB – Goldman BK – Whitmore TIME – 2:20 ATTENDANCE – 150