UMaine capsules

SOFTBALL

MAINE vs. BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Time, site: 2:30 p.m., Kessock Field, Orono

Records: BU 22-23 (8-6 America East); Maine 30-15 (11-3)

Last meeting: BU 2-1, Maine 4-2 on 4/12/06

Top hitters – BU: CF Shayne Lotito (.340, 10 RBI, 21 SB), SS Melissa Dubay (.309, 4 HR, 23 RBI), C Christy Leath (.301, 28 RBI), DH Tyler Benson (.299, 19 RBI, 11 SB); Maine: SS Brittany Cheney (.377, 7 HR, 30 RBI, 20 SB), RF Erin Provost (.296, 26 RBI), 3B Tara Vilardo (.291, 10 RBI, 16 SB), DH-1B Amy Kuhl (.286, 23 RBI)

Pitching Matchup

BU Terriers Maine Black Bears

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

RH Cassidi Hardy 3.16 12-8 129 RH Sarah Bennis 1.79 17-5 143

Outlook: After splitting a doubleheader in the teams’ first meeting this season, a Black Bear win today would give league-leading Maine a fifth conference series win of the season. It would also put Maine one win away from tying the program record for wins in a season (32). The Bears are coming off a sweep of Hartford in which they racked up 30 hits in three games. The Terriers are hitting well with a .283 team batting average, but their pitchers have combined for a 3.94 ERA. They’ve also completed 17 double plays in 45 games. The Bears will have to watch out for Lotito, who is 21-for-24 in stolen bases. The Terriers have been successful on the basepaths with 68 stolen bases in 77 attempts.

BASEBALL

MAINE vs. HOLY CROSS

Time, site: Wednesday, 5 p.m., Goodall Park, Sanford

Records: Holy Cross 15-22-1, Maine 23-11-1

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 24-9, Maine 7-2 on 4/28/04

Top hitters – Holy Cross – 2B Tucker Frawley (.386, 36 RBI), RF Norm Roth (.323, 1 HR, 16 RBI), LF Jamie Aldrich (.316, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 9 SB), SS Jake Gorman (.298, 3HR, 14 RBI); Maine – SS Curt Smith (.404, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 12 SB), 3B Kevin McAvoy (.403, 6 HR, 42 RBI), 1B Joel Barrett (.368, 4 HR, 39 RBI), DH Matt McGraw (.347, 1 HR, 25 RBI, 10 SB), CF Joe Hough (.341, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 15 SB)

Possible Pitching Matchup

Holy Cross Crusaders Maine Black Bears

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

RH Mike Miller 4.28 2-3 21 LH Jose Mendoza 10.12 1-0 6

Outlook: The Bears will try to break up their long trip to play conference rival Binghamton this weekend by making a stop in Sanford to face the Crusaders. UMaine outlasted cold and rain Tuesday to beat Division III Colby 11-4. Holy Cross, of the Patriot League, has dropped eight of its last 10 contests. The Crusaders are batting .276 while averaging 5.7 runs per game. Frawley is the school’s all-time hits leader. Their pitching staff has been respectable with a 5.75 ERA.