MAINE vs. ALBANY

Time, site: Saturday (2), Sunday (2), noon; Mahaney Diamond, Orono

Records: Maine 22-10 (5-3 America East); Albany 17-21 (5-7)

Series, last meeting: first meeting

Top hitters – Maine: C Alain Picard (.419, 4 HR, 36 RBI), LF Simon Williams (.389, 7 HR, 30 RBI, 15 SB), SS Mark Reichley (.348, 1HR, 16 RBI), 3B Joe Drapeau (.368, 8 HR, 41 RBI), CF Mike Livulpi (.327, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 10 SB), 2B Brett Ouellette (.308, 19 RBI); Albany: RF Tony Vallone (.390, 1 HR, 21 RBI), DH Jake Toms (.359, 4 HR, 29 RBI), 2B Mike Grasso (.357, 1 HR, 26 RBI, 23 SB), CF Eddie Scott (.331, HR, 21 RBI, 12 SB), 1B Dan Schoonmaker (.299, 5 HR, 33 RBI)

Albany Great Danes Maine Black Bears

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

RH Steve Emmerthal 2.67 4-0 23 RH Mike Collar 4.11 4-2 39

RH Adam Kroft 5.50 4-4 43 RH Mike MacDonald 5.45 4-1 31

RH Jeff Mazzola 5.98 1-5 29 LH Rich Laganiere 7.15 4-3 31

RH Shawn Walsh 3.48 0-1 14 – undecided – – –

Outlook: The Bears hope to work some Mahaney magic in their first meeting with the Great Danes. UMaine, tied with Vermont for the league lead at 5-3, split a midweek twinbill against Central Connecticut. Picard, who continues to lead UMaine hitters, may get a start or two behind the plate after rehabbing a sore right shoulder. The Bears enter the week with a league-best .330 batting average. Albany is second at .299. UMaine (61) and Albany (46) also are 1-2 in stolen bases.