The University of Maine softball team is hoping a three-game sweep of Vermont last weekend will carry the Black Bears as they approach the toughest part of the their America East schedule.

Maine will travel to league rival Boston University Wednesday for a doubleheader, then it’s on to Boston College for a single game Thursday.

After the Boston swing, the Bears head to conference powerhouse Albany for a doubleheader Friday and a single game Saturday.

Maine and Albany are tied with 5-1 records at the top of the conference.

“This is huge for us to be 5-1 in the conference entering a very tough road trip,” first-year Maine head coach Stacey Sullivan said. “[Albany and BU] were picked 1-2 in the preseason, but we’re in to [earn some respect] for the fact that we were picked fourth.”

BU is ranked second in the conference in team batting average (.279), sixth in earned run average (3.48), and second in fielding (.957).

The Great Danes’ numbers are just as impressive. Albany has the top batting average in the conference (.355), the second-best ERA (2.07), and is third in fielding (.954).

Sullivan said the Black Bears may be playing the Terriers at the right time – BU is without top pitcher Brittany Detwiler and slugger Chiya Louie due to injuries.

“We’re going up against them when their backs are up against the wall a little,” she said. “It’s a good opportunity for us to maybe get a sweep on BU’s field.”

Burton back with Bears

One of the phone calls Stacey Sullivan made when she arrived in Orono this fall was to Jen Burton.

Burton, who was a University of Maine teammate and co-captain with Sullivan in 1999, is now serving as a volunteer pitching coach. Burton has been instrumental, Sullivan said, in developing the league-leading Black Bear pitchers.

Senior Sarah Bennis and redshirt freshman Jenna Balent have helped Maine post a league-low 1.69 ERA.

“Her knowledge, especially of Sarah Bennis, is unmatched,” Sullivan said. “It was important for me to get Jen back with the program and to work with Benny.”

Sullivan said Balent reminds her of Burton at her prime.

“They have similar styles, similar body type, and she’s done a great job with helping to develop Jenna, too,” said Sullivan.

Burton is also an assistant softball coach at Bowdoin – she was at Maine’s doubleheader against Vermont Saturday in Orono while the Bowdoin team was in Massachusetts but went back to Brunswick for the Polar Bears’ games against Southern Maine – and works at a learning center at Bowdoin.

The Winslow native was named America East second team in 1997.