NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The University of Maine, behind a Greg Creek solo home run, won 8-3 in the second game Tuesday afternoon to earn a split of its baseball doubleheader with Central Connecticut.

The Blue Devils scored four runs with two outs in the sixth to win the opener 9-8.

In the first game, the Blue Devils (15-8-1) and Black Bears (13-12) each scored three runs in the first inning followed by a run from the Blue Devils in the second and a run by the Black Bears in the third to tie the game at four after three innings.

Central Connecticut took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning before Maine scored four in the fifth to take an 8-5 lead.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Central Connecticut put four runs on the board, including a three-run home run by outfielder Tom Pezzello, his first of the season, to give the Blue Devils the 9-8 lead.

Freshman pitcher Mark Peterson picked up his third win pitching three innings of relief and allowing four hits and three earned runs, striking out four.

Senior Keith Stegbauer posted a home run, two singles, three runs scored, and an RBI, and extended his hitting streak to 23 games before he went hitless in the second game of the doubleheader.

For the Black Bears, Simon Williams and Joel Barrett each had a pair of RBIs in the loss. Matt McGraw and Jason Harvey hit a double and single each, and Barrett had a pair of singles.

In the second game, three Maine pitchers, led by starter Scott Robinson, combined to hold the Blue Devils to five hits and in the process stopped the hitting streak of Stegbauer. Stegbauer reached base twice on walks, but failed to get a hit for the first time this season.

The Black Bears scored three runs in the first, two in the third, and three more in the fourth to earn the victory. Creek also smacked a single, Joe Hough had a double and single and two RBIs, and Barrett added a double and single and three RBIs.

Rothkugel had two more singles in the second game and added an RBI.

BLUE DEVILS 9, BLACK BEARS 8

(First Game)

Maine (12-12) Cen. Connecticut (15-7-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Williams, cf 5 0 1 2 Stegbauer, 2b 4 3 1

McGraw, 3b 4 1 2 1 Hosgood, rf 3 1 0

Reichley, 3b 0 0 0 0 D’Aquila, c 4 1 0

Creek, 1b 1 2 0 0 Rothkugel, 1b 4 2 2

Hough, rf 2 2 0 0 Blaze, dh 4 0 2

Quintal, lf 3 1 1 1 a-Salvatore 0 1 0

Barrett, dh 4 1 2 2 Pezzello, cf 3 1 3

Ferriggi, 2b 3 1 1 1 Memoli, lf 4 0 0

Izaryk, c 4 0 0 0 Riggleman, 3b 2 0 1

Harvey, ss 4 0 2 0 Tarnowski, ss 3 0 0

Totals 30 8 9 7 Totals 31 9 14 9

a-ran for Blaze in the 6th

Maine 301 040 0 ? 8

Central Connecticut 310 104 x ? 9

E?Stegbauer, Hosgood, Tarnowski; LOB?Maine 8; CCSU 7; 2B?Williams, McGraw, Ferriggi, Harvey; D’Aquila; HR?Stegbauer, Pezzello; DP?Maine 1; SB?Stegbauer, Hosgood

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Richard 4 10 5 5 3 3

Brown (L, 0-1) 2 4 4 4 0 2

Central Conn. IP H R ER BB SO

Skrypack 4 5 5 4 5 1

Peterson (W, 3-1) 3 4 3 3 0 4

HBP? Ferriggi (Peterson), Creek (Peterson); WP?Richard; T? 2:20; ATT?100

BLACK BEARS 8, BLUE DEVILS 3

(Second Game)

Maine (13-12) Cen. Connecticut (15-9-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Williams, cf 4 2 1 0 Stegbauer, 2b-ss 2 0

McGraw, c 4 2 1 0 Hosgood, rf 1 0 1

Reichley, 3b 0 0 0 0 Pellicano, cf 0 0 0

Creek, 3b-1b 4 2 2 1 Appleton, ph 1 0 0

Hough, rf 3 1 2 2 D’Aquila, c 3 0 1

Quintal, lf 3 1 1 2 Rothkugel, 1b 4 0 1

Barrett, 1b 3 0 2 3 Blaze, dh 3 0 0

Izaruk, c 1 0 1 0 Pezzello, cf-rf 1 0 0

Saunders, dh 2 0 1 0 Memoli, lf 2 1 0

Houser, dh 2 0 0 0 Riggleman, 3b 2 1 0

Ferriggi, 2b 4 0 0 0 Tarnowski, ss 2 0 0

Harvey, ss 4 0 1 0 Currier, ph 1 0 0

Totals 34 8 12 8 Totals 22 3 5 3

Maine 302 300 0 ? 8

Central Connecticut 003 000 0 ? 3

E?Ferriggi; Stegbauer; LOB?Maine 7, CCSU 7; 2B?Hough, Barrett, Saunders; HR?Creek; DP?Maine 2; SF?Quintal; D’Aquila; SB?Williams 2

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Robinson (W, 3-0) 3 2 3 3 3 0

Harris 2 1 0 0 4 0

Grattelo 2 2 0 0 1 3

Central Conn. IP H R ER BB SO

Scribner (L, 1-3) 3 1/3 9 8 7 1 4

Ruder 3 2/3 3 0 0 0 2

WP?Scribner; T?2:09; ATT?100

Softball

USM 8-5, Bridgewater State 5-2

At Bridgewater, Mass., freshman Christen Lachappelle had four singles and knocked in two runs to lead the University of Southern Maine past Bridgewater State College 8-5 in the first game. The Huskies also won the second game 5-2.

In the first game, Caterina Riitano hit a bases-loaded triple in the second inning for Southern Maine. Darci Holland doubled and scored a run.

Meghan Murphy initially hit a grand slam in the sixth inning, but one runner was called out after passing the runner in front of her.

In the second game, Melissa Henderson pitched a complete game to earn the win for the Huskies by giving up only five hits and one walk while striking out five. Ang Cote hit a triple.

Murphy hit three singles and drove in a run for Bridgewater State.

(First Game)

Bridgewater State 000 002 3 – 5 8 0

Southern Maine 032 012 x – 8 13 1

Gambino and Scott; Mainville, Brooker (7), Mainville (7) and Tong

(Second Game)

Bridgewater State (9-13) 000 200 0 – 2 5 4

Southern Maine (11-3) 101 110 x – 5 11 1

Tauber and Scott; Henderson and Tong