BASEBALL

MAINE vs. HOLY CROSS

Time, site: Wednesday, 3 p.m., 9 innings; Fitton Field, Worcester, Mass.

Records: Maine 26-12; Holy Cross 11-27

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 21-9; Maine won 15-3 on May 2, 2001

Top hitters – Maine: DH Alain Picard (.400, 5 HR, 41 RBI), LF Simon Williams (.392, 7 HR, 33 RBI, 17 SB), 3B Joe Drapeau (.356, 8 HR, 44 RBI), CF Mike Livulpi (.328, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 12 SB), RF Mike Ross (.296, 6 HR, 34 RBI), C Aaron Izaryk (.377, 1 HR, 13 RBI); Holy Cross: 2B Peter Summa (.328, 4 HR, 19 RBI), RF Matthew McEvoy (.291, 1 HR, 16 RBI), 3B Chris Doneski (.287, 9 RBI), C Dale Johnson (.282, 12 RBI), SS Mike Schell (.265, 2 HR, 18 RBI)

Pitching Matchups

Maine Black Bears Holy Cross Crusaders

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

RH Greg Creek 7.17 1-1 15 RH Jason Lynch 2.70 4-1 21

Outlook: The Bears venture south for a nonleague game against the Crusaders. UMaine hopes to get at least five innings out of Creek, then find some innings for Ryan Harris and Williams. Coach Paul Kostacopoulos wants to further build his staff in anticipation of the America East tournament, which features nine-inning games. This will be the final game of the season for Holy Cross, which has struggled this season and will not qualify for the Patriot League playoffs. The Crusaders are batting only .261 as a team and are 4-10 at home this spring.

SOFTBALL

MAINE vs. COLBY

Time, site: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Kessock Field, Orono

Records: Maine 22-28, Colby 12-9-2

Last meeting: Maine won 5-2 on May 2, 2001

Top hitters – Colby: OF Shannon Emerson (.385, 0 HR, 3 RBI), 2B Kate Hurd (.378, 0 HR, 3 RBI), C Wendy Bonner (.354, 0 HR, 8 RBI), 3B Marcy Wagner (.345, 0 HR, 12 RBI), OF Kim Chadwick (.321, 0 HR, 9 RBI); Maine: 3B Leigh Ann Hlywak (.321, 10 HR, 31 RBI), SS Erica Sobel (.312, 2 HR, 23 RBI), CF Jess Brady (.281, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 8 SB), P Jenna Merchant (.236, 0 HR, 12 RBI)

Pitching Matchups

Colby White Mules Maine Black Bears

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

RH Annette Caswell 1.03 4-1 19 RH Jenna Merchant 1.44 16-10 135

RH Kate Trasher 1.42 2-4 12 RH Candace Jaegge 2.10 6-16 78

RH Nicole Taylor 1.31 0-1 2

Outlook: The annual meeting between America East’s Black Bears and the in-state White Mules of the New England Small College Athletic Conference should be a classic Division I vs. Division III mismatch. The catch: Runs are at a premium in softball, and anything can happen in a typically low-scoring affair. Colby lacks power, as the Mules have only 22 extra-base hits (and no homers) in 23 games. Hlywak has 22 extra-base hits and 10 homers through 50 games for Maine. Caswell is a Bucksport product who is having a stellar freshman year.