ORONO – Baseball can be broken down into many categories. Almost without exception, pitching is the position that holds the key to a team’s success or failure.

University of Maine coach Paul Kostacopoulos knows his pitchers must perform better this season if the Black Bears are to make it back to the America East Tournament.

UMaine finished the 2000 season with a solid 25-24 record, including a 14-12 conference mark. Even after winning 15 of their last 21 games, the Bears missed out on the league tournament.

Inconsistent pitching was the decisive factor.

“You can’t have a 6.65 ERA,” Kostacopoulos said, referring to the number posted by last year’s squad. “That’s 6.6 runs a game you’re giving up, when you play a perfect game [defensively]. That just can’t continue.”

UMaine hopes to change the pitching trend starting Sunday when the Bears open the season with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Coppin State (Md.).

The Bears return junior lefthander Rusty Tucker, who was 5-2 with a 5.86 earned run average and a team-leading 61 strikeouts last year. Senior righty Kris Ehmke (2-5, 6.22) was less successful.

However senior Simon Stoner, a transfer from Armstrong Atlantic (Ga.), could emerge as the No. 1 starter. The 6-foot-6 righty, a two-time major league draftee, has an excellent curveball and throws 87-90 mph.

“Stuff-wise, he’s pretty good, but he doesn’t have any wins at the University of Maine,” Kostacopoulos said. “If he can throw his curveball for a strike, he’s going to be successful.”

Two Maine freshmen, Mike Macdonald of Camden and Mike Collar of Scarborough, also are expected to work their way into the rotation. The Bears will have ample experience in the bullpen, where senior righties Matt Truman of Otisfield (2-1, 5.30, 1 save) and Eric Johnson (1-4, 8.69, 1 sv.) and sophomore righthander Adam Labelle (1-3, 5.01) are the mainstays.

Redshirt freshmen Mike Reid of Auburn and Ryan Harris, along with frosh Ryan Foley, also are expected to contribute.

UMaine, which led the league with 58 home runs and averaged 7.2 runs per game last year, returns several key starters. Sophomore third baseman Joe Drapeau is coming off a rookie season during which he batted a team-leading .359 with 16 home runs and 50 RBIs on his way to Freshman All-America and America East Rookie of the Year honors.

Senior first baseman Jon Hambelton (.345, 7 HR, 45 RBIs), sophomore catcher Alain Picard (.338, 1, 14), junior left fielder Mike Ross (.327, 10, 37), sophomore center fielder Mike Livulpi (.288, 6, 33) and senior co-captains Keith Genest of Augusta (.292, 5, 17) and Quin Peel (.278, 1, 25) are among the veteran position players.

“I think we have a very good lefthanded-hitting lineup,” Kostacopoulos said. “On the flip side, our weakness is when we face a lefty.”

The Bears, who ranked third in America East fielding percentage (.956) last season, ranked second with only 75 errors.

Among the defensive changes are the insertion of freshman Mark Reichley at shortstop and the move of Peel from short to second base. Backups in the middle include Picard, freshman Matt Reynolds and junior college transfer Greg Cassa.

UMaine also has flexibility at first where Hambelton will be challenged for playing time by sophomores Pat Tobin and Jesse Carlton. The righthanded-hitting Carlton also may play some third base if Drapeau backs up Picard behind the plate.

“We have an awful lot of options,” Kostacopoulos said. “We have 14 position players that travel with us and 13 could find themselves in the starting lineup depending on matchups.”

In the outfield, Ross will patrol left field for the third straight season and Livulpi will utilize his speed in center. In right field, sophomore Aaron Young of Augusta, Genest and freshman Simon Williams of Portland are expected to battle for playing time.

Kostacopoulos is encouraged by the way the team approached its fall and preseason workouts.

“This team has been remarkably adept at picking things up very quickly,” he said. “I would say we’re a lot more attuned to detail this year.”

Delaware is again considered the favorite in America East, while Towson, Maine, Northeastern and Vermont are expected to be the other playoff contenders.

“Our goal is to get ourselves back in that tournament and win the thing,” Kostacopoulos said.