ORONO – Jon Hambelton knows all too well what it’s like to play with pain.

Until recently, the junior first baseman was plagued by the lingering effects of a broken left wrist he sustained during his junior year at Boston College High School.

Now, more than five years after the former hockey defenseman was checked into the boards, the University of Maine first baseman is beginning to feel as though he’s back in the swing of things.

Hambelton has set the offensive tone for coach Paul Kostacopoulos’ Black Bears, who have finally returned home for this weekend’s four-game America East series against Drexel.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder takes a healthy .373 batting average with six home runs and a team-best 31 RBIs into today’s noon doubleheader at Mahaney Diamond. The teams play again at noon Sunday.

“He’s emerged to probably being one of our top one or two hitters right now,” Kostacopoulos said. “He has really put together a very good, solid first half of the year.”

Hambelton, who only last season rounded into playing shape after undergoing surgery in January of 1997 to insert a screw in his troublesome wrist, is thrilled to be playing with relatively good health.

“This is the first year it’s felt good all year,” said the lefthanded-hitting slugger, whose BC High team beat Matignon (and current UMaine hockey forward Niko Dimitrakos) for the Massachusetts Super 8 hockey title in 1996.

“I still don’t have full range of motion back and I have to wear a wrist brace in the games now, but it’s pretty much just a precaution in case it gets jammed,” Hambelton said.

Hambelton is reaping the rewards of his patience and perseverance. Hambelton, who usually bats third in the UMaine lineup, is tied for the team lead with 38 hits and eight doubles.

After spending the summer of ’97 in a cast, going through nearly a year of rehabilitation and playing sparingly in 1998, Hambelton last year became the regular first baseman. He ranked sixth among regulars with a .282 average and had six homers and 38 RBIs.

With the help of the UMaine coaching staff, Hambelton has made some adjustments at the plate that have increased his productivity.

“Last year I was pretty much swinging out of my butt, overswinging,” Hambelton admitted. “This year I’m really concentrating on taking what the pitcher gives me and just putting the ball in play. The most important stat is the RBI.”

Last fall, Hambelton ditched his lengthy batting stride in favor of a wider stance with a minimal step forward, which has enabled him to keep his hands back better.

“This year I’m taking what I get, being a little more patient, a little less selfish,” Hambelton said.

Kostacopoulos said Hambelton’s willingness to make some changes, both physically and mentally, have made a big difference in his hitting.

“I think his maturity is significantly better than it was,” Kostacopoulos said. “If we point something out to him, he’s able to take it in and utilize it. That’s why he’s been more successful.”

Hambelton hopes that maturity manifests itself in the psychological aspect of the game. In the past, he was bothered when he got into a slump or made a bad play.

He had a brief lapse last weekend at Northeastern, but came up with a two-run double that helped the Bears win Sunday’s first game.

“Last year, that wouldn’t have happened,” Kostacopoulos said. “He’s been a clutch guy for us.”

Hambelton hopes to help UMaine make it back to the America East tournament next month.

“We’ve haven’t been playing great baseball and I think just being home with our atmosphere is going to give us that little extra that we need to start turning it around,” he said.