Gators wear out UMaine pitching

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Gators wore out University of Maine pitching to the tune of 16 hits and the Black Bears committed five errors Wednesday night as Florida pulled away for a 19-9 baseball victory at McKethan Stadium.

Aaron Davidson went 5-for-6, including two doubles, and knocked in four runs to pace 13-13 Florida, which stole nine bases.

Coach Paul Kostacopoulos’ Bears slipped to 8-2 with their second straight loss heading into Thursday’s 7 p.m. game at Florida A&M. UMaine pitchers issued six walks and hit three batters.

Bears starter Simon Stoner (1-1), who had been expected to make a bid to become UMaine’s No. 1 starter this season, wasn’t sharp. He allowed six hits and walked four in five innings, but five of the seven runs he gave up were unearned.

UMaine, which committed 10 errors in the two games against Florida, hung around most of the way. The Gators finally scored six runs in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach.

Alain Picard led the Bears with a solo home run in the fourth, a two-run double in the seventh and a bases-loaded walk in the eighth. Quin Peel doubled and singled with an RBI and Jesse Carlton doubled and singled while Jon Hambelton (RBI), Mike Livulpi, and Biddeford’s Joe Drapeau stroked two singles apiece.

Kevin Estrada knocked in three runs with three singles for Florida. Matt Siegel had a single and three RBIs, while Ben Harrison and Mark Kiger each provided a single and two RBIs.

Trailing 2-0, Florida jumped in front with a six-run second inning off Stoner. Matt Goss led off with a double to right-center, moved up when Harrison reached on a fielding error by second baseman Peel and Osborn walked, loading the bases.

Estrada hit a run-scoring single to right, Brian Rose was hit by a pitch to force in a run and another run scored when Kiger got aboard on shortstop Mark Reichley’s miscue. Siegel plated a run with a groundout and Davidson delivered an RBI single to left.

UMaine never got closer than three the rest of the way.

The Bears cut the deficit to 6-3 in the fourth on Picard’s leadoff homer, then crept within 7-4 in the sixth without benefit of a hit.

However, the Gators scored three in the bottom of the inning and simply held UMaine at bay the rest of the way.

The Bears’ bullpen surrendered 10 hits and 12 runs, all earned, in a combined three innings of work.

So. Maine 12, Macalester 3

At Fort Myers, Fla., the Huskies scored four runs in the seventh and six in the eighth to break open a close game in the Huskies’ season opener.

Paul Tedesco, Colin Loveless, and Jody Curcuru each slammed a home run, Shaun Richardson rapped four singles, and Pat Toomey and Craig Gureckis added a double and two singles apiece.

Todd Southwick earned the win over the Scots of St. Paul, Minn.

Andy Odegaard led the Scots with an RBI single.

Macalester (4-8) 000 000 030 – 3 5 0

Southern Maine (1-0) 100 001 46x -12 16 1

Bell, Turner (7) and Soltvedt; Southwick, Pelletier (8), Lemieux (9) and L’Italien, McDonough (9)

Stetson sweeps UMaine

At Deland, Fla., the Black Bears managed only one run in each game while dropping a doubleheader to Stetson.

The Hatters won the opener 2-1 and took the second game 3-1.

In the first game, Emily Harris’ RBI single highlighted Stetson’s two-run sixth inning. Tiffany Tolleson singled for the only other hit off UMaine’s Carrie Green (1-5).

Nicole Taylor and Karen Sherwood each singled twice for the Bears.

In the nightcap, Emily Harris rapped a run-scoring double and Alison Parker stroked a two-run home run in Stetson’s three-run third inning. Gina Reynolds scattered four hits for the winners.

Loser Ashley Yuhas (1-8) helped her own cause with an RBI double.

(First Game)

Maine 000 100 0 – 1 7 0

Stetson 000 002 x – 2 2 0

Green and Stevens, Bain; Lightner and Broyles

(Second Game)

Maine (4-18) 010 000 0 – 1 4 1

Stetson (12-15) 003 000 x – 3 7 2

Yuhas and Bain; Reynolds and Broyles

NM Tech 83, EM Tech 77

At Lewiston, Willie Sleeper, Shane Durost and Rohan Beckford scored 17 points apiece Tuesday night to lead Northern Maine Technical College of Presque Isle to victory over Eastern Maine Technical College of Bangor in the National Small College Athletic Association national tournament at the Central Maine Civic Center.

Dave Jellison scored 16 points for the winners.

Nick Wiberg poured in a game-high 31 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to pace the Falcons. James Osborne netted 23 points and Chris Leighton handed out seven assists.

Eastern Maine Technical College 77

Leighton 3-2-8, Osborne 10-2-23, Galley 2-1-5, Dow, Kilton 1-0-2, Wiberg 14-3-31, Reynolds 2-0-4, Doore 2-0-4

Northern Maine Technical College 83

Schmidt 2-0-5, Durost 8-0-17, Tompkins 1-0-2, Smith 2-0-4, Jellison 5-4-16, Collins 1-0-3, Beckford 7-2-17, Czosneck 1-0-2, Sleeper 6-1-17

3-pt. goals: Osborne; Schmidt, Durost, Jellison 2, Collins, Beckford, Sleeper 4

Halftime: Eastern Maine Tech 47-41

Men’s Lacrosse

Maine Maritime Acad. 12, USM 4

At Gorham, the Mariners scored nine unanswered goals to erase a one-goal halftime deficit and spoil the Huskies’ varsity debut.

Dave Buehne, Tom Zysk, Ray Halsted and Peter Van der Hoek scored two goals apiece for 3-0 Maine Maritime Academy of Castine, while John Macisso, Eric Gould, Brett Crimmin and Jack Gilmoretallied one goal apiece.

Grant Robinson made 10 saves for the Mariners.

John McCabe scored twice for the University of Southern Maine, while Nick Rich and Tobey Farrington had one each. Mike Shippee registered 15 saves.