OLD WESTBURY, Conn. – Alain Picard returned to the University of Maine lineup and stroked three singles in an open-game victory, helping the University of Maine earn a split of its baseball doubleheader with New York Tech at Presidents Field.

The Black Bears rallied to win the opener 8-5, but fell 11-2 in the second game.

“We didn’t play very well,” offered UMaine coach Paul Kostacopoulos. “It was everything, it wasn’t just one aspect. But the greatest positive out of it is, we were able to split when we didn’t play well.”

The 10-6 Black Bears struggled in the field, committing seven errors in the twinbill. UMaine had made only 14 miscues in its first 14 games.

“Most of them we were just throwing it all over the place,” Kostacopoulos said. “We went from playing every day to not playing [outside] and it showed today.”

In the opener, sophomore righthander Mike Collar of Scarborough (2-1) spread out 11 hits, striking out one and walking one, to earn the win.

Picard, who had missed the last five games with a pulled left hamstring, went 3-for-4 batting in the No. 5 spot. Mike Livulpi singled twice for UMaine, which overcame an early 5-0 deficit.

The visitors (13-7) tied it up with two runs in the fifth when Aaron Young singled, but was erased on Pete Saunders’ fielder’s choice. One out later, Joe Drapeau reached on an error and Picard followed with a two-run single.

“That’s how important he is to us,” Kostacopoulos said of Picard. “If we don’t have him the first game, I don’t know if we win today.”

UMaine went ahead in the sixth when Livulpi singled and Mark Reichley walked. One run scored on an errant pickoff throw. Matt Reynolds struck out but reached on a passed ball, only to have Reichley thrown out trying to score.

Reynolds took second on a wild pitch and scored the go-ahead run one out later on Pete Saunders’ single down the line in left.

The Black Bears added a run in the seventh when Drapeau led off with a double and scored on an error.

Mike Gaffney paced NYIT with a double and two singles and Bryan Goelz singled twice. Tom Merkle hit a two-run homer and a single.

In the nightcap, UMaine starter Rich Laganiere walked three batters and surrendered three home runs among six hits in the first two innings as the hosts jumped all over the Black Bears.

Brandon Kurz bedazzled UMaine, throwing a three-hitter with seven strikeouts for New York Tech. Brian Goldberg knocked in three runs with a home run and a single and Jelani Arnold provided a single and a sacrifice fly good for three RBIs.

Merkle contributed a two-run homer in the second inning and a single, while Kevin Perrucci doubled and singled.

Jesse Carlton smacked a solo homer in the seventh inning, while Picard and Livulpi doubled for UMaine’s only other hits.

Freshman Greg Creek of Chelsea was strong in relief for UMaine, allowing only four hits and one earned run in four innings of work.

New York Tech led 3-0 three batters into the contest when Goldberg’s home run plated Goelz and Gaffney, both of whom had walked. Two errors led to the other run.

In the second, the hosts piled on five more runs. Rick Mundy walked and rode home on Goelz’s homer. One out later, Goldberg singled to set up Merkle’s two-run shot. Perrucci followed with a double and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly.

UMaine got on the board in the fourth when Livulpi doubled, moved up on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch. But NYIT countered with two unearned runs in the sixth to make it 11-1.

BLACK BEARS 8, BEARS 5

(First Game)

Maine (10-5) New York Tech (12-7)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Young, cf-rf 3 1 1 0 Goelz, cf 4 2 0

Williams, lf 2 0 0 0 Gaffney, ss 3 1 0

Saunders, lf 2 1 1 1 Goldberg, lf 4 0 2

Ross, rf-lf 4 0 0 0 Merkle, 3b 4 1 2

Drapeau, 3b 4 2 1 0 Perrucci, 1b 4 0 0

Picard, c 4 1 3 2 Arnold, 3b 2 0 0

Carlton, 1b 2 0 1 0 Galea, rf 2 0 0

Tobin, 1b 1 0 0 0 a-MacMurray 1 0 0

Livulpi, dh-cf` 4 1 2 0 Mundy, rf 0 0

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

Reynolds, 2b 3 2 1 0 Karkoulas, dh 3 0 1

Totals 31 8 10 4 Totals 30 5 11 5

a-struck out for Galea in the sixth

Maine 002 122 1 ? 8

NY Tech 320 000 0 ? 5

E?Williams (2), Reichley (7), Collar (1); Goldberg (1), Merkle (4), Arnold (4), Taormina (2); LOB?Maine 6, NY Tech 6; 2B?Drapeau, Reynolds; Gaffney; HR?Merkle (5); DP?Reynolds-Reichley-Tobin; Gaffney-Perrucci; SF?Reichley; Gaffney; SB?Livulpi (4)

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Collar (W,2-1) 7 11 5 3 1 1

NY Tech IP H R ER BB SO

Taormina (L,3-3) 5? 9 7 1 1 6

Almonte ? 0 0 0 0 0

Britton 1 1 1 0 1 1

HBP?Young by Taormina; WP?Taormina, Britton; BK?Almonte; PB?McDevitt; T?2:05

BEARS 11, BLACK BEARS 2

(Second Game)

Maine (10-6) New York Tech (13-7)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Livulpi, cf 3 1 1 0 Goelz, cf 3 2 2

Reynolds, 2b 2 0 0 0 Gaffney, ss 3 2 0

Ouellette, 2b 1 0 0 0 Goldberg, lf 3 3

Ross, rf 1 0 0 0 Merkle, 3b 4 2 2

Picard, dh 3 0 1 0 Perrucci, 1b 4 2 0

Carlton, 1b 3 1 1 1 Arnold, 2b 3 0 3

Drapeau, 3b 2 0 0 0 Galea, c 3 0 0

Houston, rf 1 0 0 0 Karkoulas, dh 3 0 0

Izaryk, c 2 0 0 0 Mundy, rf 2 1 0

Williams, lf 2 0 0 0

Ferriggi, ss 2 0 0 0

Totals 23 2 3 1 Totals 28 11 10 10

Maine 000 000 1 ? 2

NY Tech 450 002 0 ? 11

E?Drapeau 2 (3), Ferriggi 2 (4); LOB?Maine 1, NY Tech 4; 2B?Livulpi, Picard; Perrucci; HR?Carlton (4); Goelz (3), Merkle (6), Goldberg (2); SF?Arnold; SB?Karkoulas (5)

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Laganiere (L,2-2) 2 6 9 8 3 2

Creek 4 4 2 1 1 1

NY Tech IP H R ER BB SO

Kurz (W,3-0) 7 3 2 2 1 7

WP?Kurz; BK?Laganiere; T?1:40; ATT?167