NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The University of Maine baseball team managed just 10 hits in two games and fell twice to Central Connecticut State University on Wednesday.

The Blue Devils exploded for five runs in the fifth inning en route to a 6-4 win in the first game and got a complete-game three-hitter from Kevin Rival while winning 3-2 in the second game.

In the first game, Maine’s Mike Livulpi drove in Aaron Young with a third-inning single to make it 1-1, Keith Genest roped a two-run double in the fourth, and the Bears extended the lead to 4-1 when Joe Drapeau singled in Livulpi.

But Central Connecticut bounced back in its half of the fifth, stringing together three straight singles and scoring single runs on a subsequent wild pitch and groundout.

Maine starter Kris Ehmke struck out John Mayette and the Bears opted to intentionally walk Robert Hosgood to set up a force situation. Rival, the game two winning pitcher, made them pay with a two-run double.

The Devils scored their last run on an error by Maine first baseman Jon Hambelton.

Ehmke lost his first game of the year and dropped to 3-1. He walked one and struck out two in 4? innings.

In the second game, Rival struck out 10 and walked five while holding the Bears to three hits.

Central Connecticut took the lead on a two-run homer by Ned Coffee in the second, but the Black Bears finally broke through against Rival in the top of the sixth.

Alain Picard drove in both UMaine runs with a pinch-hit double to center field that plated Mike Ross and Hambelton.

But Central Connecticut tallied the game-winner in the bottom of the sixth when Patrick Holden doubled and scored on a Brian Frederick single.

Maine reliever Matt Truman was saddled with the loss, as he pitched an inning and gave up three hits and a run.

Blue Devils 6, Black Bears 4

(First Game)

Maine Central Connecticut

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Livulpi, cf 3 1 2 1 Holden, ss 3 1 1

Ross, lf 4 0 1 0 Mayette, dh 4 0 0

Drapeau, c 4 0 1 1 Hosgood, cf 2 1 0

Hambelton, 1b 4 0 0 0 Rival, rf 3 3

Picard, 2b 3 1 1 0 D’Aquila, 1b 3 0 0

Reynolds, 3b 2 1 1 0 Macellaro, 3b 3 0 0

a-Williams 0 0 0 0 Coffee, lf 3 1 0

Tobin, 3b 0 0 0 0 Frederick, lf 0 0 0

Genest, dh 2 0 1 2 Hill, 2b 2 1 0

Reichley, ss 2 0 0 0 Rourke, c 2 1 0

Young, rf 2 1 0 0

Totals 26 4 7 4 Totals 25 6 8 4

a-ran for Reynolds in sixth

Maine 001 210 0 ?4

Central Connecticut 100 050 x ? 6

E?Hambelton; Herrick; LOB?Maine 6, Central Connecticut 5; D?Genest; Rival; DP?Central Connecticut; S?Reichley, Hill; SB?Young

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Ehmke (L, 3-1) 4? 7 6 5 1 2

Labelle 1? 1 0 0 1 0

Central Connecticut IP H R ER BB SO

Herrick (W, 1-0) 5 7 4 4 1 3

Crossman (S, 1) 2 0 0 0 1 0

HBP?Reynolds, Livulpi by Herrick; Rourke by Labelle; WP?Ehmke 2, Labelle 2; Herrick; T?1:50; ATT?75

Devils 3, Black Bears 2

(Second Game)

Maine (18-7) Central Connecticut (15-12)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Livulpi, cf 4 0 0 0 Landeen, 2b 3 0 0

Genest, rf 2 0 0 0 Mayette, 1b 1 0 0

Drapeau, 3b-c 4 0 0 0 Rourke, 1b 1 0

Hambelton, dh 2 1 1 0 Hosgood, cf 3 0

Reynolds, 2b-3b 3 0 0 0 Rival, p 3 0

Ross, lf 2 1 0 0 D’Aquila, c 3 0 0

Carlton, 1b 1 0 0 0 Macellaro, 3b 3 0 0

Picard, 2b 1 0 1 2 Holden, ss 3 2 0

Tobin, c-1b 3 0 1 0 Coffee, lf 3 1 2

Reichley, ss 3 0 0 0 Frederick, rf 2 0 1

Totals 25 2 3 2 25 3 7 3

Maine 000 002 0?2

Central Connecticut State 020 001 x?3

E? Rourke, Frederick; LOB? Maine 7, Central Connecticut 7; D? Picard; Holden; HR? Coffee; SB? Genest

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Harris 3 3 2 2 1 3

Foley 2 1 0 0 1 1

Truman (L, 1-2) 1 3 1 1 0 0

Central Connecticut IP H R ER BB SO

Rival (W, 1-1) 7 3 2 1 5 10

HBP? Landeen by Harris; BK?; WP?; PB? D’Aquila; T? 2:00; ATT? 75

St. Joseph’s 5, Bates 3

At Beverly, Mass on Tuesday, the Monks of Standish gave coach Will Sanborn his 200th career win in knocking off the Bobcats of Lewiston.

Wade Goulet notched a two-run double for the winners. Lucas Hannigan doubled and singled and Steve Osborne tripled and drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.

Matt Pound had an RBI single for Bates.

St. Joseph’s (17-2) – 000 020 000 3 – 5 9 4

Bates (0-11) – 100 100 000 – 3 3 1

Buker, Dalton (6), Gilbert (7), Gates (8), Pyne (9), Holland, and Goulet;