SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The University of Maine was one hit away Sunday from taking three games from Delaware during their America East weekend baseball series.

The hit never came. As a result, the Black Bears settled for a less satisfying split of the four-game “homestand” played at Bryant College.

The Blue Hens eked out a 7-5, eight-inning win in Sunday’s opener, then capitalized on the momentum and won the nightcap 10-3.

UMaine swept Saturday’s doubleheader, winning 3-2 and 11-1. It was the Bears’ first twinbill sweep against the Hens since 1993.

The 20-9 Bears, now 7-5 in league play, emerge from the weekend in a third-place tie with Towson. Delaware (21-10, 8-4) and Hofstra are tied for first.

Coach Paul Kostacopoulos tried to put the series in perspective.

“I still think it was a good weekend,” Kostacopoulos said. “This is one of the better teams we’ve played and we were one hitter away from beating them three times. You can’t be that disappointed.”

The weekend split was somewhat uplifting and, at the same time, disappointing for the Bears.

“[We’re] happy that we got at least two wins, but [we’re] upset that we let that first [Sunday] game slip away,” said Joe Drapeau of Biddeford. “It just proves that we can play with anybody.”

In Sunday’s first game, Chris Kolodzey launched a game-winning, two-run home run with nobody out in the eighth inning off Bears closer Matt Truman of Otisfield.

UMaine had victory within its grasp in the seventh. Mike Livulpi’s leadoff double and Aaron Young’s RBI single made it 5-5, then the Bears loaded the bases with nobody out.

However, Hens lefthanded reliever Mike Pelcher came on and induced two 4-2 fielder’s choice grounders and got Jesse Carlton to fly out, ending the uprising.

“We had like four chances to win the ballgame and we didn’t, including me,” said UMaine’s Alain Picard. “I had three people in base and I didn’t do the job.”

Delaware capitalized in the eighth when Pete Maestrales singled and rode home on Kolodzey’s blast to center. Pelcher retired the side in order in the eighth.

The Hens collected 15 hits, eight off starter Mike Collar of Scarborough. Frank Fresconi provided a game-tying RBI double in the seventh and added two singles. Teddy Puitz hit a solo homer.

Livulpi rapped a double and two singles for the Bears, while Augusta’s Young cranked a two-run homer and the RBI single. Picard doubled and singled and Carlton poked a two-run home run.

The Bears could have put the game away in the top of the seventh, but a one-out throwing error by third baseman Pat Tobin set the table for Fresconi’s double off the fence in left-center. He rode home on a two-out single to right by Kris Dufner.

In Sunday’s second game, the Hens scored four first-inning runs and hammered out 14 hits to complete the sweep. The Bears struggled, committing five errors while scratching out only six hits.

Picard admitted the earlier loss took a lot out of the Bears.

“It was a tough loss,” Picard said. “Myself, I was emotionally, mentally and physically tired.”

Delaware’s Mike Mihalik scattered six hits and was backed by a potent plate attack led by Vince Vukovich (3 RBIs), Andrew Salvo, Peter Maestrales and Fresconi, each of whom stroked three singles. The efficient Hens turned four double plays.

Tobin doubled and singled for the Bears. Carlton provided a run-producing double.

In Saturday’s nightcap, Drapeau belted home runs in three consecutive innings to help UMaine pound Delaware. He cranked solo blasts in the fourth and fifth innings, then lofted a two-run shot in the sixth.

“I hit the ball where it was pitched, didn’t try to do too much with it,” Drapeau said. “There was a good wind blowing out to right.”

Senior transfer Simon Stoner fashioned a gritty six-hitter, working out of frequent trouble early after walking five batters in the first three innings.

Leading 2-1, the Bears dispatched Hens starter Jason Vincent (5-1) while scoring four runs in the fourth with the aid of an error. Drapeau ignited the rally with a home run to center.

Picard rapped a double and two singles, Hambelton doubled twice and Young singled twice for the Bears, who piled up 13 hits. Livulpi led off the game with a homer.

Casy Fahy had an RBI single for the Hens.

In Saturday’s first game, Picard’s opposite-field, two-run single to left highlighted a three-run fifth inning that gave UMaine the margin of victory.

Junior lefthander Rusty Tucker (4-1) limited the Hens to seven hits in another steady performance.

“I haven’t gotten much run support so far this year. It kind of keeps me focused on the game,” said Tucker, who struck out three and did not walk a batter while outdueling Delaware ace Rich McGuire, who scattered six hits.

The Bears made a handful of key defensive plays, including Tucker’s pickoff of Salvo in the first inning and two difficult catches by right fielder Young.

Vukovich put Delaware on top with a two-out RBI single in the fourth, but UMaine countered with a big fifth inning.

Livulpi looped a one-out single to left and Young bounced a single to right, setting up Drapeau’s run-scoring double high off the right-field fence. Jon Hambelton was walked intentionally, loading the bases for Picard, who delivered the clutch, game-winning hit.

Livulpi doubled and singled for the Bears. Kolodzey smacked a homer and two singles for Delaware.

Black Bears 3, Blue Hens 1

(Saturday’s First Game)

Delaware (19-9) Maine (19-7)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Gorecki, cf 3 0 1 0 Livulpi, cf 4 1 0

Salvo, 2b 3 0 1 0 Young, rf 1 1 0

Maestrales, 3b 3 0 0 0 Drapeau, c 3 1 1

Kolodzey, rf 3 2 3 1 Hambelton, dh 0 0 0

Schneider, c 3 0 0 0 Reynolds, 3b 2 0 0

Vukovich, lf 3 0 2 1 a-Genest 1 0 0

Fresconi, dh 3 0 0 0 Carlton, 1b 0 0 0

Harden, 1b 3 0 0 0 Picard, 2b 3 0 2

Dufner, ss 2 0 0 0 Ross, lf 3 0 0

Tobin, 1b-3b 3 0 1 0

Reichley, ss 3 0 0 0

Totals 26 2 7 2 23 3 6 3

a-struck out for Reynolds in the fifth

Delaware 000 101 0?2

Maine 000 030 x?3

LOB? Delaware 3, Maine 7; 2B? Livulpi, Drapeau; HR? Kolodzey (5); DP? Salvo-Dufner-Harden; SB? Kolodzey (8)

Delaware IP H R ER BB SO

McGuire (L, 5-3) 6 6 3 3 4 6

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Tucker (W, 4-1) 7 7 2 2 0 3

HBP? Young by McGuire; T? 1:40; ATT? 120

Black Bears 11, Blue Hens 1

(Saturday’s Second Game)

Delaware (19-10) Maine (20-7)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Fahy, lf-cf 3 0 1 1 Livulpi, cf 3 1 1

Salvo, 2b 3 0 1 0 Young, rf 4 1 1

Maestrales, 3b 4 0 1 0 Hambelton, dh 4 0 1

Kolodzey, rf 3 0 0 0 a-Saunders 0 1 0

Vukovich, dh 2 0 0 0 Drapeau, c 4 3 4

Schneider, c 2 0 0 0 Picard, 2b 4 2 0

Wimer, c 1 0 0 0 Ross, lf 2 2 0

Dufner, ss 4 1 1 0 Williams, lf 1 0 0

Harden, 1b 1 0 0 0 Reynolds, 3b 3 0 0

Puitz, 1b 1 0 0 0 Tobin, 1b 2 1 1

Gorecki, c 2 0 1 0 Reichley, ss 3 0 2

Eitelman, lf 1 0 1 0

Totals 27 1 6 1 30 11 13 10

a-ran for Hambelton in the sixth

Delaware 010 000 0? 1

Maine 110 423 x?11

E? Dufner 2, Salvo, Ogilvie; Reichley, Stoner; LOB?Delaware 12, Maine 5; 2B? Hambelton 2, Picard, Ross; HR?; Drapeau 3 (10), Livulpi (1); DP? Maestrales-Salvo-Puitz, Vincent-Dufner-Harden; S? Vukovich; Reynolds

Delaware IP H R ER BB SO

Vincent (L, 5-1) 3? 6 6 6 2 2

Spiewak 1? 3 2 2 1 1

Ogilvie 1 4 3 3 0 1

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Stoner (W, 4-1) 7 6 1 1 6 4

WP? Vincent, Stoner; PB? Drapeau; T? 2:17; ATT? 120

Blue Hens 7, Black Bears 5

(Sunday’s First Game)

Delaware (20-10) Maine (20-8)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Salvo, 2b 5 1 2 0 Livulpi, cf 5 2 0

Maestrales, 3b 3 1 2 0 Young, rf 4 1 3

Kolodzey, rf 5 2 2 2 Hambelton, dh 4 0 0

Vukovich, lf 4 0 1 0 Drapeau, c 2 0 0

Schneider, c 4 0 1 1 Picard, 2b 4 0 0

a-Fahy 0 1 0 0 Ross, lf 3 1 0 0

Wimer, c 1 0 1 0 Carlton, 1b 3 1 2

Fresconi, dh 5 1 3 2 Tobin, 3b 3 0 0

Puitz, 1b 3 1 1 1 b-Williams 1 0 0

Harden, 1b 1 0 0 0 Reichley, ss 3 0 0

Dufner, ss 5 0 2 1 c-Reynolds 1 0 0

Gorecki, cf 3 0 0 0

Totals 39 7 15 7 33 5 12 5

a-ran for Schneider in the seventh

b-flied out for Tobin in the eighth

c-grounded out for Reichley in the eighth

Delaware 012 000 22?7

Maine 020 020 10?5

E? Tobin; LOB? Delaware 13, Maine 8; 2B? Fresconi, Dufner; Livulpi, Picard; HR? Kolodzey (6), Puitz (2); Young (5), Carlton (2); DP? Salvo-Dufner-Puitz, Maestrales-Salvo-Puitz; SB? Kolodzey (9)

Delaware IP H R ER BB SO

Sage 6 12 5 5 2 2

Pelcher (W, 3-2) 2 0 0 0 0 0

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Collar 5 8 3 3 4 3

Truman (L, 1-3) 3 7 4 2 1 3

HBP? Drapeau, Carlton by Sage; BK?; WP? Collar; PB?; T? 2:22; ATT? 110

Blue Hens 10, Black Bears 3

(Sunday’s Second Game)

Delaware (21-10) Maine (20-7)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Salvo, 2b 5 2 3 1 Livulpi, cf 3 0 0

Maestrales, 3b 5 1 3 1 Young, rf 3 0 0

Kolodzey 3 0 0 0 Hambelton, dh 2 0 0

Vukovich, cf 5 1 3 3 Drapeau, c-3b 3 0 0

Schneider, c 4 1 0 0 Picard, 2b 2 0 0

Fresconi, dh 4 2 3 1 b-Genest, ph 1 0 0

a-Gorecki, 0 0 0 0 Reynolds, 2b 0 0 0

Dufner, ss 3 1 1 1 Williams, lf 3 1 0

Harden, 1b 3 1 1 0 Tobin, 3b-c 2 1 0

Fahy, lf 4 1 0 0 Carlton, 1b 2 1 1

Reichley, ss 1 0 0 1

c-Saunders 1 0 0 0

Totals 36 10 14 7 23 3 6 2

a-ran for Fresconi in the sixth

b-struck out for Picard in the sixth

c-struck out for Reichley in the sixth

Delaware 402 020 2?10

Maine 000 030 0? 3

E? Dufner; Livulpi, Drapeau, Williams, Carlton; LOB? Delaware 10, Maine 3; 2B? Tobin, Carlton; DP? Dufner-Salvo-Harden, Dufner-Salvo-Harden, Maestrales-Salvo-Harden, Salvo-Dufner-Harden; SF? Reichley; SB? Salvo (9), Maestrales (9), Vukovich (5)

Delaware IP H R ER BB SO

Mihalik (W, 2-1) 7 6 3 2 2 3

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

MacDonald (L, 2-1) 4 6 6 3 1 2

Foley 2 5 2 2 1 1

Johnson 1 3 2 2 1 0

HBP? Carlton by Mihalik; Kolodzey, Schneider by MacDonald; WP? MacDonald; T? 2:15; ATT? 110