ORONO – Joe Drapeau arrived at the University of Maine in 1998 with some impressive athletic credentials.

Drapeau was a baseball captain, a Western Maine all-star and a USA Today All-American at Biddeford High School, where he also was a finalist for the coveted Fitzpatrick Trophy given annually to the best senior football player in the state.

Even so, Drapeau wasn’t quite ready for Division I baseball. So he sat out his freshman year at UMaine as a redshirt to improve and prepare.

Five years and countless hours of hard work later, Drapeau is entering the final weeks of a distinguished career that will list him among the most productive players ever to wear a Black Bears uniform.

Drapeau continues his assault on UMaine’s career home run and runs batted in records Friday and Saturday as the 35-14 Bears play host to 30-10 Vermont in a key America East series at Mahaney Diamond.

UMaine, the defending league champion, needs three wins to clinch the regular-season title and the top seed for next week’s conference tournament at Burlington, Vt.

The senior co-captain enters Friday’s 5 p.m. doubleheader with 48 career homers, four shy of Mark Sweeney’s school record. He also has posted 192 RBIs, placing him second behind Sweeney’s 211.

This season, he’s hitting .302 with nine homers and 30 RBIs.

“I look at his consistency through the four playing years and his contributions have been really exceptional,” said UMaine coach Paul Kostacopoulos. “The bottom line is, he has produced.”

While sitting out his first year was difficult, Drapeau eventually made the best of it.

“It was tough to take, coming from a program where you’re a star and you’ve been all-state,” Drapeau said. “You look deep inside to figure out what you really want to do and if this is right for you.”

Drapeau stuck with it.

To the occasional UMaine fan, Drapeau is known mostly as a free-swinging power hitter. That description is accurate, as the 5-foot-11, 205-pounder has been among America East’s top sluggers for four consecutive seasons.

Drapeau makes no bones about his approach to hitting. While there are situations that require him to make contact or go the other way in attempt to advance baserunners, he seldom gets cheated on his hacks.

“If there’s a guy on first or second, I’m trying to drive the ball as hard as I can to the gap,” said Drapeau, who graduates Saturday with a degree in journalism [advertising].

“I’ve always prided myself on swinging hard,” he explained. “I’m not going to be one of those guys who goes up there and puts a nice, easy swing on it. I try to drive the ball and hit it as hard as I can.”

Drapeau has compiled a .335 career batting average and ranks second on UMaine’s all-time list with 57 doubles. His aggressive style also has led to a strikeout every 5.3 at-bats.

“His aggressiveness, his confidence in himself and his physical strength are all part of why he’s a good hitter,” Kostacopoulos said.

With a year of preparation under his belt, Drapeau earned freshman All-America honors in 2000. Ever since, opponents have taken pains to get him out. That has meant a steady dose of off-speed pitches, most thrown down and away from him.

“It’s ridiculous. It’s all changeups, sliders and curveballs,” Drapeau said. “Being the fourth hitter, that’s what you kind of expect. The only time I really hit home runs is when they make a mistake.”

While Drapeau’s offensive production has been outstanding, Kostacopoulos said he is vastly underrated as a defensive player. Drapeau started as an outfielder, but broke into the lineup at third base, where he earned all-league second-team honors in 2000.

As a sophomore, Drapeau demonstrated his versatility by moving behind the plate. Again he excelled, getting the nod as the All-America East and All-New England first-team catcher.

Last season, he played 45 games at third and worked 11 behind the plate, getting the second-team nod at third in the conference. Drapeau, who has split his time similarly this spring, admits having worked tremendously hard at the defensive part of his game.

“People don’t realize how hard it is to play two positions well,” Drapeau said. “I pride myself at playing both and being good at both. No matter where I play, I want to be the best at it.”

This season, Drapeau has been a fixture at third (36 games) while catching 10. He has committed only six errors in 166 chances (.964).

He takes extra ground balls and puts in the time necessary to be an efficient player.

“Quietly, he’s worked very hard to become a good, solid third baseman,” Kostacopoulos said. “I’ve never had a third baseman who only made nine errors.”

Kostacopoulos said Drapeau is the epitome of the instate player who is willing to devote himself to improving and winds up being a key contributor as a Division I baseball player.

In spite of his talent, “He’s had to work for what he’s become as a player,” said Kostacopoulos, who uses Drapeau as the shining example for Maine recruits.

“Joe is kind of the point man on how you can be successful here at Maine as an instate player,” Kostacopoulos said. “You can’t really measure the value he’s brought to the program over the last four or five years.”

With his career near its end, Drapeau is committed to helping the Bears achieve their goal of repeating as America East champs and returning to the NCAA Tournament.

“As a senior, that’s what you want to do. You want to go out on top,” Drapeau said.

“I’m very grateful and I’ve been lucky that things worked out the way they have,” he added. “I have no regrets.”