AMERICA EAST CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 3 ALBANY vs. No. 2 MAINE

Time, site: Thursday, 7 p.m.; Mahaney Diamond, Orono

Records: Albany 36-12; Maine 32-19

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 8-3; Maine 7-3 on 5/16/04

Top hitters – Albany: 2B Kirt Zimniewicz (.391, 10 HR, 42 RBI, 9 SB), DH Derek DeGrazio (.369, 6 HR, 43 RBI), 1B Dan Schoonmaker (.362, 10 HR, 49 RBI), SS Joe Lamb (.328, 1 HR, 28 RBI, 21 SB); Maine: 1B Joel Barrett (.372, 1 HR, 33 RBI), 3B Greg Creek (.371, 6 HR, 44 RBI), RF Joe Hough (.363, 7 HR, 40 RBI, 11 SB), DH Matt McGraw (.342, 2 HR, 16 RBI), LF Ryan Quintal (.305, 6 HR, 44 RBI)

Probable Pitching Matchup

Albany Great Danes Maine Black Bears

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

RH Steve Emmerthal 3.88 8-2 70 RH Mike MacDonald 3.36 5-3 82

Outlook: The Bears begin their quest for a league title against the talented Great Danes. UMaine took two of three in the regular-season series two weeks ago. Emmerthal outdueled MacDonald 2-1 on May 15 and is 2-1 lifetime with a 1.87 ERA against UMaine. The Bears want to get to him early and must hit with runners in scoring position. UMaine, making its 10th AE tourney appearance, owns a six-game win streak this season.

No. 4 STONY BROOK vs. No. 1 NORTHEASTERN

Time, site: Thursday, 3:30 p.m.; Mahaney Diamond, Orono

Records: Stony Brook 26-25; Northeastern 28-18

Series, last meeting: NU leads 12-6; Stony Brook 13-3 on 4/25/04

Top hitters – Stony Brook: SS Matt Devins (.374, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 8 SB), CF Andrew Larsen (.317, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 13 SB), DH Isidro Fortuna (.287, 8 HR, 36 RBI); Northeastern: CF Jeff Heriot (.350, 9 HR, 36 RBI, 13 SB), 1B Miguel Paquette (.323, 8 HR,26 RBI), RF Brad Czarnowski (.301, 7 HR, 33 RBI, 10 SB), 3B Mike Steinberg (.286, 6 HR, 23 RBI)

Probable Pitching Matchup

Stony Brook Seawolves Northeastern Huskies

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

RH Jon Lewis 2.92 6-6 79 RH Jordan Thomson 1.31 8-3 81

Outlook: The Huskies likely will put the league’s best pitcher on the hill against the Seawolves, who won two of three in an April series. Thomson outdueled Lewis 1-0 for NU’s win. This is a rematch of last year’s championship game won by the Huskies 11-0 behind Thomson’s three-hit shutout. Lewis also has postseason experience. NU leads AE in pitching (3.40 ERA) and fielding percentage (.964), while Stony Brook has committed two errors per game but can steal some bases.