Eight days into the 2003 Northeast League season, the Bangor Lumberjacks hoped to have seven games under their belts and, hopefully, four wins or more.

On the day of their home opener at the University of Maine’s Mahaney Diamond in Orono, the Lumberjacks have played only two games and after a 4-3 loss Thursday night, they’re now batting .500 in the win percentage column.

Just as snow and rain dogged the Portland Sea Dogs and wiped out the first week of their season, rain has been a knot in the Lumberjack’s plans, wiping out five of the team’s first seven games.

The Lumberjacks host the New Jersey Jackals in a 7:15 p.m. game tonight.

“We haven’t been on the field since last Thursday [May 22],” said team general manager Curt Jacey before Thursday night’s doubleheader in Lynn, Mass. “It’s been brutal. We haven’t picked up a bat or done anything in six days.”

Despite even worse weather, the team was in better shape in preseason as it had the UMaine field house to hold practices, which involved everything except outfield fielding practice, in on a daily basis.

About the only thing the Lumberjacks have been able to do since winning their season-opener is throw the ball around in the hotel hallways. The only baseball they’ve seen is on TV.

If both games in Thursday night’s scheduled doubleheader were played, Friday’s starting pitcher for Bangor will likely be player-coach Kevin Pincavitch, a 32-year-old right-hander from Alicia, Pa. If just one game was played, the starter figures to be 24-year-old righty John Vigue.

Friday’s game is nearly sold out, according to Jacey.

“We’re probably about 80 percent sold for both Friday and Saturday with about 500 tickets left for each game,” Jacey said.

The rest of the Lumberjacks’ starting nine (10) figures to be shortstop Mitsuro Kobayashi batting leadoff, catcher Brad Hargreaves batting second, first baseman Jude Voltz in the No. 3 slot, 2002 league MVP and designated hitter Lorenzo de la Cruz batting cleanup, third baseman Donnie Ross fifth, center fielder Juan Silvestre sixth, right fielder Stephen King seventh, second baseman Todd Brock eighth, and left fielder Mo Blakeney ninth.

The Jackals, 4-2 and leading the Southern Division standings heading into their game Thursday at Quebec City, are led by outfielders Travis Bailey (.417 batting average) and Darren Blakely (.385). As a team, the two-time defending NEL champs are hitting .311 with five home runs and 28 RBIs.

Bailey also leads New Jersey with two homer, six RBIs and a .917 slugging percentage.

The Jackals are averaging only one steal per game as outfielder Cedrick Harris and shortstop Chris Rowan (two each) have three-quarters of New Jersey’s stolen bases.

Keen Maine baseball observers may recognize the name of New Jersey rookie and backup catcher Peter L’Italien, who played for and graduated from the University of Southern Maine.

Pitching-wise, right-handers Jackson Crowther (1-0) and John DeSilva (1-0) lead the staff with earned-run averages of 0.00 and 3.56, respectively. Julio Perez leads the way with two saves and a 0.00 ERA. Opponents are batting just .214 against the Jackals’ staff.