The University of Maine baseball team is preparing to breathe a collective sigh of relief this week.

After playing 24 consecutive games on the road to open the season – a perennial challenge for the program – the Black Bears are moving into a more travel-friendly portion of the schedule.

UMaine is scheduled to make its home debut today in Orono at 3:30 against Thomas College of Waterville. However, the Bears must get back on the bus tonight and head for Rhode Island to play a Wednesday nonleague doubleheader against Brown.

Then, coach Paul Kostacopoulos’ squad returns to Mahaney Diamond for a much anticipated three-game America East weekend series against Maryland Baltimore County.

“We’re almost there,” a slightly hoarse Kostacopoulos said Monday. “This is a tough stretch.”

UMaine was on the road starting last Wednesday for a doubleheader at Central Connecticut, then went back to Orono for two days before making the round-trip trek to Albany last weekend.

The Bears are a bit worn down.

“It’s a fatigue factor right now,” Kostacopoulos said. “We have a couple guys that are sick. We’re in that transition mode where we’ve got one more tough road trip, then we’re home.”

The Bears may be road-weary, but they haven’t let it affect their play. UMaine has won nine of its last 11 games, including two of three at Albany, on the way to a 15-9 overall record.

Offensively, UMaine continues to set the pace in America East at .312. And it hasn’t had to rely on one or two players to provide a big chunk of the production.

The balanced Bears have six players batting .300 or better, with eight players having posted 20 or more hits. Eight UMaine players have scored 11 or more runs and seven have knocked in at least 10 runs.

“We’re spreading out the offense,” Kostacopoulos said, but at times I think we’ve got three or four guys going and another three or four guys not going.”

The Bears, who are averaging six runs and 11 hits per game, could be even more productive.

“What we’ve got to do is get a blend of consistency going [throughout the lineup],” Kostacopoulos said. “In the last few games we have showed glimpses of doing that.”

The Bears’ top hitter is freshman Curt Smith of Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. The third baseman is batting .386 with nine runs batted in and six stolen bases.

“He’s getting more and more acclimated to this level of baseball and I think he can only get better,” Kostacopoulos said.

Joel Barrett of Brewer continues to produce at the plate with a .380 average, three home runs and a team-leading 21 RBIs. He also boasts a .464 on-base percentage.

Gordon resigns UMPI hoop post

Alan Gordon, the longtime women’s basketball and men’s soccer coach at the University of Maine-Presque Isle, is relinquishing the basketball position.

Gordon is stepping down to concentrate his efforts on coaching the soccer squad. The UMPI grad and Owls Athletic Hall of Fame member also will continue to teach in the physical education department and advise students.

Gordon, who had coached the Owls since 1992, twice was named the Maine Athletic Conference coach of the year.

“This will allow Gordon to spend more time with his family as well as possibly assist with administrative duties,” said UMPI athletic director Rich Ward, who said a search for Ward’s successor will begin immediately.

Ward said Gordon has agreed to coach either baseball or softball in 2006.