This season, there has been more “real” baseball played in the America East Conference.

That’s because teams have played mostly nine-inning games during the 2004 conference season.

University of Maine coach Paul Kostacopoulos is among the America East coaches who endorsed the switch from four-game league series featuring seven-inning games to a three-game series format with two nine-inning contests and one of seven (9-7-9).

Nine-inning games, the standard in pro ball, are a truer reflection of a team, especially in terms of pitching. Coaching strategy also varies between seven-inning and nine-inning games.

“It’s back to baseball. That’s what it’s supposed to be,” said Kostacopoulos, whose Bears played 32 seven-inning games in 2003 but have only 13 this season. “It’s a big difference.”

Since all NCAA Division I postseason games are nine innings, the league thought it was a logical move.

“You get some people involved in league games who haven’t been in the past,” said Kostacopoulos, whose pitching staff logged three times more complete games a year ago (16) under the old format.

Each team needs three weekend starters, but with a nine-inning game in the series opener and another the second day, relievers can be important. And during a three-day, double-elimination tournament, pitching depth can be critical.

“Everybody feels better about going into the tournament [after playing nine-inning games all season],” Kostacopoulos said.

At UMaine, senior Mike MacDonald (4-3, 3.55 earned run average) is the ace, but the rest of the rotation has evolved as the season has gone along. Sophomore Troy Martin (4-1, 3.62), who started the year as a reliever, worked his way into a starting role and is holding opponents to a .213 average.

When sophomore starter Greg Norton (4-5, 5.12) struggled a bit, freshman Steve Richard (4-2, 2.93) assumed the starting role. Recently, Norton has been used in short relief.

The Bears’ bullpen has been quite effective in league play. Senior Ryan Harris (5-2, 4.76), who began the season as a starter but was sidelined by an arm injury, returned to carve out a niche as a setup man.

Sophomore Scott Robinson (3-0, 2.36, 5 saves, 17 appearances) has emerged as UMaine’s closer. Sophomore Jamie Grattelo (1-4, 3.80, 2 saves) and freshman Ryan Brown (1-1, 5.40) also have contributed in relief roles.

Junior Greg Creek (2-0, 1.77), the starting third baseman, has been effective as a spot starter.

“It’s much easier to handle the staff,” Kostacopoulos said. “As a coach, you kind of know who can do what. Last year, we used one guy, Adam Labelle, out of the bullpen.”

UMaine has 12 healthy pitchers on its staff and seven of them have logged at least 13 appearances. Five players have earned four or more victories and eight have pitched at least 20 innings over the 47 games.

The Bears rank second in America East with a 3.87 team earned run average.

Playing mostly nine-inning games has helped the Bears shape their staff.

“I love it. It’s a much better situation,” Kostacopoulos said.

MacDonald nears strikeout mark

UMaine ace righthander Mike MacDonald should become the school’s career strikeouts leader during today’s game at Maryland Baltimore County.

The senior from Camden enters the contest with 270 strikeouts, four shy of the record set by Mike D’Andrea from 1989-92. MacDonald is coming off a 10-strikeout performance in a tough 2-1 loss to Albany last Saturday in Orono.

MacDonald is making his 50th career appearance for the Bears, one fewer than the 51 outings D’Andrea had. He is averaging 8.1 strikeouts per nine innings over four seasons.

MacDonald also could eclipse D’Andrea’s career record for innings pitched (317 1/3) as he checks in at 299 2/3 with at least one more start remaining. And with a win today, MacDonald would move into a fourth-place tie with Mike Collar (2001-2003) and Stu Lacognata (1981-84), each of whom won 24 games.