College softball

MAINE vs. BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Time, site: Thursday, 2 p.m., Kessock Field, Orono (2)

Records: Maine 11-11 (0-0 America East); Boston U. (10-16, 1-1)

Last meeting: split on 4/24/02; Maine 7-5, BU 1-0 (10 inns.)

Top hitters – P-UT Erin McDonald (.350, 9 RBI, 2 HR), SS Jamie Haas (.348, 11 RBI, 15 SB), P-OF Julie Henneke (.298, 12 RBI, 7 SB), P-OF Tiffany Finateri (.291, 11 RBI, 2 HR); Maine: CF Jess Brady (.400, 11 RBI, 15 SB), SS Brittany Cheney (.381, 9 RBI), C Lindsay Tibbetts (.296, 3 RBI), OF-DH Molly McKinney (.254, 11 RBI)

Possible Pitching Matchups

BU Terriers Maine Black Bears

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

LH Julie Henneke 1.97 4-5 59 RH Jenna Merchant 2.85 5-6 70

RH Tiffany Finateri 3.69 3-4 35 RH Sarah Bennis 2.59 5-4 31

Outlook: Thursday’s doubleheader will be the home and America East opener for the Black Bears. Maine and BU are evenly matched with similar team batting averages, earned-run averages and fielding percentages. While Merchant and Bennis have handled almost all of the pitching for the Bears, Henneke and Finateri have solid depth behind them as McDonald was named the conference pitcher of the week for her 0.86 ERA in two wins. Brady and Cheney are second and third, respectively, in individual batting average. Haas and Brady are tied for the league lead in stolen bases (15).