ORONO – All season, the University of Maine’s success hinged on its ability to get clutch hits. With the America East baseball championship on the line Saturday afternoon, Stony Brook lefthander Matt Restivo made sure the Black Bears didn’t get any big hits.

Restivo pitched a four-hitter, striking out 10 and walking two, while leading the fourth-seeded Seawolves to a 3-1 victory over No. 2 UMaine for the conference championship at windy Mahaney Diamond.

Coach Matt Senk’s 29-25 team, the 2003 runner-up, won its first America East title and earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

“I remember looking from the runner-up side last season and didn’t like that feeling,” said Restivo, 2-2, who also hit three batters. “I wanted to be on the other side this year and we did it.”

Coach Paul Kostacopoulos’ gritty Bears closed out an outstanding season at 34-21.

“On our spring trip if you had told me we were going to lose in the championship game, it would have been very hard for me to think [it would be possible],” said UMaine catcher Aaron Izaryk. “Besides the outcome [today], this is an absolutely positive year.”

Stony Brook outfielder Isidro Fortuna was named the tourney Most Outstanding Player after singling three times Saturday, including a big hit in the Seawolves’ winning rally.

“We knew coming in we had a good team and that if we played our best game, just like coach said, we were going to be unbeatable, and we proved it,” said Fortuna, who was 7-for-13 in the tournament.

Pitcher Mike MacDonald of Camden and designated hitter Matt McGraw were UMaine’s all-tourney choices. Stony Brook also placed Restivo, 1B Dave Mischo, 2B Chris Sipp, SS Matt Devins, 3B Nick Theoharis and OFs Andrew Larsen and Fortuna on the team.

Albany C Nick Martin and Northeastern OF Jeff Heriot were the other picks.

Restivo kept UMaine guessing with two different fastballs, an effective curve and a changeup. Despite allowing a run in the first inning, he held the Bears hitless for 5 2/3 innings before McGraw grounded a single to left.

“He hit some guys, walked some guys, but if you don’t get to him early, you’re going to be in trouble,” Kostacopoulos said. “We did not get him when we had limited opportunities, in the first couple innings.”

UMaine’s hopes rode on Greg Norton (4-6) and the sophomore righthander from South Portland gave the Bears a chance. Making his first start in a month, Norton scattered eight hits, striking out seven and walking three in 7 2/3 innings.

“Postseason’s a whole new season, so you’ve just got to go out and be confident,” Norton said. “I knew I could pitch well.”

Stony Brook caught up to Norton in the eighth after two were out. Devins walked, then Fortuna hit a check-swing single through the right side.

“I was expecting a fastball and he fooled me, but since I was hot, I put it in play. I got lucky,” Fortuna said.

Theoharis pushed across the eventual winning run when his grounder deflected off third baseman Mark Reichley’s glove and past shortstop Jason Harvey, allowing Devins to score.

Kevin Solano pulled an RBI double down the left-field line to make it 3-1, chasing Norton.

“They were really scrappy hitters and they hit it where we weren’t,” Norton said. “[Windy] days like this, you’ve got to hit the line drives, the flares, like they did.”

UMaine threatened in the ninth when Ryan Quintal yanked a one-out double to right and Harvey reached on a two-out throwing error. However, Simon Williams flied to right for the final out.

The Bears took a 1-0 lead in the first when Williams was hit by a pitch, Izaryk walked and both advanced on a wild pitch with one out. Greg Creek provided a sacrifice fly, but Restivo induced a come-backer by McGraw to halt the rally.

“I definitely came in with some jitters,” Restivo admitted. “It was rough in the first inning, but once I got through it, I just stuck with what I had and made the most of it.”

Stony Brook tied it in the second with two out. Norton walked both Mischo and Cole Cicatelli, then Sipp punched an RBI single to right. Cicatelli was thrown out trying to take third on the throw home.

After that, Norton didn’t allow a runner past first base until the Seawolves’ game-winning rally in the eighth.

“Even though we lost this game, Norty was our hero today,” Izaryk said. “He came out and gave us the innings we needed. He gave us a shot.”

UMaine, which went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position, threatened in both the third and fifth innings, but could not get the timely hits.

Williams drew a leadoff walk in the third, stole second and advanced on a fly-out, but was caught trying to score on Joe Hough’s one-out chopper to third. In the fifth, Williams grounded into a fielder’s choice and took second on a passed ball, but Izaryk bounced out to first for the third out.

“They started to believe in themselves and when you have that kind of progression during the year, that’s a great feeling,” Kostacopoulos said.” We got to the championship round, but it wasn’t our day today.”

SEAWOLVES 3, BLACK BEARS 1

(Saturday Afternoon)

Stony Brook (29-25) Maine (34-21)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Larsen, cf 5 0 1 0 Williams 3 1 0

Devine, ss 3 1 0 0 Izaryk, c 3 0 0

Fortuna, lf 4 1 3 0 Hough, rf 4 0 0

Theobaris, 3b 4 0 1 1 Creek, 1b 4 1

Solano, rf 4 0 1 1 McGraw, dh 4 0 0

Hischo, 1b 2 1 0 0 Ferriggi, 2b 4 0 0

Ciocatelli, c 3 0 2 0 Quintal, lf 3 0

Sipp, 2b 4 0 1 1 Reichley, 3b 4 0 0

Didsbury, dh 4 0 0 0 Harvey, ss 3 0 0

Totals 33 3 9 3 Totals 32 1 4 1

Stony Brook 010 000 020 ? 3

Maine 100 000 000 ? 1

E?Devins; LOB?Stony Brook 7, Maine 9; 2B?Solano; Quintal; SB?Williams, Quintal

Stony Brook IP H R ER BB SO

Restivo (W,2-2) 9 4 1 1 2 10

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Norton (L,4-6) 7 2/3 8 3 3 3 7

Robinson 1 1/3 1 0 0 1 2

HBP?Williams, Quintal, Harvey by Restivo; WP?Restivo; PB?Cicatelli; T?2:28; ATT?497