Saunders is rewarded for resilience

ORONO – For some, it would have been easy to hang up the spikes and call it a career.

But University of Maine center fielder Pete Saunders never allowed that thought to cross his mind.

He entered this season with just 35 career at-bats in three full seasons – he was a redshirt his freshman year – but he persevered and is being rewarded for his diligence.

Saunders drove in three runs on Thursday night with an RBI single in the first and a two-run double in the eighth to help the Bears collect a 9-3 win over Albany in their America East Tournament opener.

“It feels good to contribute,” said Saunders, who had his problems on the spring trip and saw limited duty until he was re-inserted into the starting lineup two weeks ago against Albany and went 3-for-8 in the series with a pair of walks.

He is hitting .360 over the last eight games with 10 runs batted in, including eight in his last three games. He is in the midst of a 10-game hitting streak.

“I struggled at the beginning of the year. I didn’t feel comfortable at the plate. I can’t explain why,” said the Bucksport native. “But I took some time and got back to doing what I do [best] which is hitting the ball the other way.”

He explained when he got the call against Albany two weeks ago, “I got in the right mindset and stayed focused.”

He said one of the keys is “staying calm” at the plate and with that he develops a comfort zone.

In the first inning, the lefthanded-hitting Saunders took an inside pitch and fisted it into right center with two outs to build Maine’s lead to 3-0. In the eighth, he fought off a pair of 3-2 pitches before hitting a long double over center fielder Craig Farley’s head to drive in the eighth and ninth runs.

“I was just trying to protect the plate,” said Saunders who admits he is having the time of his life these days.

Saunders said he had only two or three at-bats in post-season play before Thursday night and he was quite nervous before the game.

“But after the first inning, I was fine,” said Saunders who earned a degree in chemical engineering earlier this month.

“Pete is an amazing story,” said Maine coach Paul Kostacopoulos. “He has been nothing but positive throughout his career. It is a tribute to him.”

Kostacopoulos said Saunders is a great example of what can happen if a player works hard and remains determined, diligent and positive.

Saunders will enter Friday’s winners’ bracket game against Stony Brook hitting .299. He has 13 RBIs in just 67 at-bats.

One of the other catalysts was junior catcher Aaron Izaryk, who singled in the five-run first and belted a two-run homer in the fifth to build the lead to 7-0.

Izaryk also hustled to track down a ball that bounced away from him in the top of the first and threw to pitcher Mike MacDonald covering the plate to register the second out of the inning.

Maine escaped a first-and-third, one-out jam in the top of the first and erupted in the bottom of the first.

“We work on that play all the time,” said Izaryk.