College softball

MAINE vs. MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY

Time, site: Friday, 4 p.m.; Saturday (2), 11 a.m., Kessock Field, Orono

Records: UMBC 20-23 (1-6 America East); Maine 15-14 (3-3)

Series, last meeting: first meeting

Top hitters – UMBC: 3B Kristie Pickerall (.325, 28 RBI, 23 BB, 9 HR), OF Sarah Crowell (.318, 13 RBI), P-DH Kelly Claar (.298, 27 RBI, 6 HR); Maine: CF Jess Brady (.390, 14 RBI, 8 SB), 3B Lauren Dulkis (.333, 6 RBI), SS Brittany Cheney (.330, 16 RBI, 5 HR)

Pitching Matchups

UMBC Retrievers Maine Black Bears

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

RH Amy Sadowl 2.47 7-7 42 RH Sarah Bennis 1.75 2-6 55

RH Lauren Nicholson 3.82 7-7 44 RH Jenna Merchant 1.91 4-2 23

Outlook: The Retrievers sit at the bottom of the America East standings, but the Black Bears will have to watch out for several players, starting with Pickerall, who leads the league in home runs and walks and is second in RBIs. Both teams have good third pitching options in UMBC’s Claar (3.63 ERA) and Maine’s Candace Jaegge (2.94 ERA). The Bears would do well to keep balls on the ground – UMBC shortstop Reilly Ward has a league-high 25 errors and her teammates have committed 45 more. Maine is the league’s top defensive team (.963). The Retrievers are coming off a doubleheader split at Binghamton Thursday, while the Black Bears haven’t played since a game last Saturday against the Bearcats.