Streaking UMaine baseball team kicks off league schedule

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The University of Maine baseball team, which struggled through a 1-11 start to the 2000 season, snapped out of its funk during the last week.

After being outscored 71-13 during a four-game series against seventh-ranked Arizona State, coach Paul Kostacopoulos’ Black Bears have rebounded to win five in a row and six of their last seven.

UMaine takes a 7-12 record into Friday’s non-league game at Quinnipiac (Conn.) before heading to Delaware for a four-game America East weekend series against the three-time defending conference champion Blue Hens.

America East coaches have picked UMaine to finish fourth this spring in the eight-team league. Northeastern is the favorite, having garned six first-place votes and 60 points. Delaware checks in with 51 points, followed by Towson (2 first-place votes) with 49 points and Maine with 39.

Kostacopoulos was disappointed by the Bears’ poor start, but believes the recent surge during a stretch of what will be 28 consecutive road games is a sign UMaine is coming around.

“We came back [to Orono] with some much more positive energy,” Kostacopoulos said Wednesday. “We’ve won six of our last seven, won some one-run games. We started taking care of business last week.”

The Bears were inconsistent in all phases of the game during their first 12 contests. UMaine pitchers struggled and issued too many walks, while the defense and hitting were spotty.

After a seven-game swing through greater New York-New Jersey, Kostacopoulos feels much better about the ballclub.

“I feel that our team showed some character,” Kostacopoulos said. “We’ve been on the road, living in hotels and we’ve shown enough character and enough fight to win some games. It sends me a real good message about the players, that they’re not going to easily pack it in.”

Offensively, the Bears have been paced by junior first baseman Jon Hambelton, who leads the club with a .377 average and 18 RBIs. He has batted third in front of redshirt freshman Joe Drapeau of Biddeford.

Drapeau has blossomed early. The third baseman is hitting .325 and already has socked seven home runs and six doubles on his way to 18 RBIs.

“Joe Drapeau’s come out like I thought he would,” Kostacopoulos said. “The big thing is he’s shown a little power.”

Sophomore left fielder Mike Ross checks in at .294 with four homers and 17 RBIs, while senior second baseman Julian Bracali is batting .275 with 16 RBIs.

The Bears haven’t gotten much offensive production out of the catching spot, where freshmen Bob Harris and Alain Picard are hitting .176 and .211, respectively.

UMaine’s pitching staff has been plagued by inconsistency. The five primary starters have a combined 3-11 record, but the efforts of relievers Adam Labelle (0-1, team-leading 5.51 ERA) and Jared Cochran (3-0, 7.24 ERA) have helped the Bears.

“Jared is doing an outstanding job,” Kostacopoulos said. “I really believe that he has looked at this as a challenge. It’s his final year and he’s going to go out and contribute.”

Defensively, nagging arm and shoulder problems have relegated Bracali to second base, meaning Quin Peel has moved back to shortshop. The Bears are looking forward to putting all aspects together in time for the start of the conference season.

“We’ve been doing some things that correlate to winning games,” Kostacopoulos said. “This weekend is when it really counts.”

Injuries hamper Husson baseball

The Husson College Braves, who are already without Maine Athletic Conference Player of the Year shortstop Don Sawyer (medical redshirt due to shoulder surgery), will probably be without All-MAC righthander Corey Pion for the rest of the season.

Pion suffered a shoulder injury three weeks before Husson’s recent spring trip to Florida and reinjured it on the trip.

“He had an MRI done today and we’ll have to wait and see if it requires surgery or a rehabilitation program,” said Braves coach John Kolasinski. “He is probably done for the year.”

Pion was 3-0 with a 4.96 earned run average last season.

“He’s a guy we were counting on to be our No. 3 (starter),” said Kolasinski. “He could very well have become our No. 2. He’s got experience and he’s a great competitor. It also hurts us depth-wise. Now we’ll have to move some people up.”

Dave Dostie will move up to the No. 3 spot behind 1999 All-MAC selection James Zukowski and 1998 All-MAC pick Jeremy Nelson. Freshman Keith Simmons will be bumped up to the four spot and starting outfielder John Montgomery will be the No. 5 man.

Kolasinski also said his primary power threat, first baseman-catcher-DH Barrett Williams, may have a broken left hand suffered on a check swing in Florida. Williams was an All-MAC choice a year ago when he hit .363 with six homers and 40 runs batted in.

“We thought it was strained but it got so bad this past weekend that we had to have it examined,” said Kolasinski.

Tony Creek would replace Williams at first base if he can’t play when the Braves open their MAC schedule with Saturday’s noon doubleheader at St. Joseph’s. Husson visits Bowdoin for two on Sunday.