Black Bear bats heating up at right time

ORONO – The University of Maine baseball team has reached the halfway point of the America East season and the Black Bears find themselves in a familiar position.

Coach Paul Kostacopoulos’ ballclub, which boasts a 26-11 record, has grabbed a share of first place in the league standings with Stony Brook at 9-3.

Only three weekends of America East play remain and UMaine has re-established itself as a legitimate threat to defend its conference championship. And the Bears appear to only be heating up offensively.

Seniors Joe Drapeau of Biddeford and Alain Picard showed their old form over the weekend, powering UMaine to three wins against Binghamton. Drapeau (now at .326 with nine homers and 25 RBIs) hit for power and for average, while Picard (.346, 5 HR, 41 RBIs) exhibited the kind of clutch hitting that makes him one of the league’s top hitters.

Getting them hot simultaneously is an important development for the Bears.

“For the first time this season, we look like we have a middle of the order that’s dangerous,” Kostacopoulos said of Picard, Drapeau and sophomore Aaron Izaryk (.336, 2 HR, 31 RBIs). “It’s so critical that both (Drapeau and Picard) perform well because they help each other and you can’t pitch around one guy.”

The pair combined to go 17-for-29 (.586) against Binghamton last weekend, teaming up for five home runs, 13 RBIs and 17 runs scored. Drapeau has moved within four home runs of tying Mark Sweeney for the UMaine career record of 52.

“We’ve been taking some good hacks, not swinging at bad pitches,” Picard said of the recent success. “We’ve been getting a lot more consistent.”

Izaryk posted only one hit against the Bearcats, but reached base 10 times. He patiently waited out seven walks, all in Sunday’s doubleheader, and was hit by a pitch twice.

Joining the hit parade was sophomore Greg Creek of Chelsea (.353, 1 HR, 9 RBIs), whose hot bat has given Kostacopoulos almost no choice but to play him at least part time at first base. He stroked five hits with a team-high seven RBIs in three games last weekend.

“He did a great job for us this weekend and really at a spot (first base) that we have struggled,” Kostacopoulos said. “He’s going to be a good hitter for us.”

Junior Simon Williams also began to break out of a prolongued batting slump, stroking a triple and two doubles among his five hits against Binghamton. The Bears know if they can get several guys hitting consistently well, they’ll be difficult to beat.

“We had five or six guys in the lineup crushing the ball and it’s contagious, really,” said Creek, who also has become the Bears’ No. 4 starter in the absence of Ryan Harris, who was experiencing some arm trouble. “That’s what we’ve been missing. Our pitching’s been great, for the most part.”

Husson takes a Mulligan

Matt Mulligan, a 6-foot-5 forward from Penobscot Valley High School in Howland, has committed to attend Husson College and play basketball for the Braves.

Mulligan, who plans to study physical education, averaged 23.8 points and 17 rebounds per game last winter for the Howlers and was a Maine McDonald’s Class C-D All-Star.

Husson head coach Warren Caruso said Mulligan is “very strong and physically ready to contribute to our success.”

Signees set up Maine volleyball

Coach Sue Medley’s University of Maine volleyball team received letters of intent from three prep school standouts.

Justine Chabot, an outside hitter and setter from Sakatoon, Saskatchewan; setter Shelly Seipp of Spokane, Wash.; and right/outside hitter Brooke Truong from Van Nuys, Calif., have all signed on to play for the Bears next winter.

The 5-foot-10 Chabot was elected MVP of Aden Bowman Collegiate Intstitute’s team after leading it to two city championships and a provincial title. The 5-6 Seip is a three-time team MVP who led John R. Rogers High’s team to a district title. Truong is 5-9 and a three-year member of the Thunder Volleyball Club who led her Van Nuys High team to the city championship.