ORONO – A young University of Maine baseball team is struggling to find consistency in all aspect of the game.

With four freshmen in the starting lineup Sunday, the Black Bears committed three errors in a disappointing 7-4 America East loss to Albany at Mahaney Diamond.

“The bottom line, we played poorly,” said UMaine coach Steve Trimper. “We didn’t get timely hitting, we didn’t pitch well at times and we certainly didn’t play good defense because it cost us [Sunday’s] game.”

The Great Danes, who eked out a 7-6, nine-inning win in Saturday’s opener before UMaine took the nightcap 10-3, won three of four games in the series and reinserted themselves into the playoff chase.

UMaine (27-16-1, 8-6 AE) now sits tenuously in second place behind Vermont (11-5). A UMaine team hadn’t lost three games in a league series since being swept at Vermont in 1998.

On Sunday, righthander Sean Gregory earned his first collegiate victory for Albany (14-28, 8-8 AE).

The freshman, who only weeks ago changed to a sidearm delivery, worked seven shutout innings Sunday while limiting the Bears to five hits.

“We needed it. A lot of people probably thought we were out [of the playoff hunt] already,” said Gregory, who Saturday had allowed three hits and one run in five innings to help the Great Danes win the opener.

“I still feel like I haven’t thrown,” said Gregory, who featured a slider and a changeup. He threw 54 pitches Saturday and 88 Sunday. “I’m a little tired body-wise but no [arm] soreness, nothing.”

Trailing 4-2, Albany took the lead for good in the fifth against freshman starter Jose Mendoza (1-1). Nate Olson of Poland hit a chopper to third baseman Kevin McAvoy, who bounced the throw to first base.

Infield singles by Steve Wyland (bunt) and Sean Donovan, a throwing error by second baseman Danny Menendez and back-to-back doubles by Steve Sayre and Rashad Barksdale (two RBIs) made it 6-4 Albany.

“You can’t make three errors and still win the game. It’s just impossible,” said UMaine senior Joel Barrett of Brewer.

“With a good team like [Albany], you let them in the door and they’re good to take advantage,” he said.

Brewer’s McAvoy stroked a two-run single and another single to pace UMaine, which got only one runner past first base over the last six innings. Sean Parker also singled twice, but the Bears hit too many fly balls into a stiff wind.

“Give the kid credit, he went out there and shoved it [down our throats],” said Bears senior Joe Hough. “Guys hit him well. It’s just you can’t hit it in the air [on a day like this].”

Sayre (two RBIs) and Barksdale (RBI) led Albany with a double and two singles each.

In Saturday’s second game, freshman Mike Powers pitched his second straight complete game, scattering eight hits, to help the Bears snap a four-game losing streak.

Powers, a righthander from Portland, struck out two, walked two and hit two batters in a strong performance.

“Michael Powers came back and did a great job just not giving up the big inning,” Trimper said.

UMaine staked Powers to a 4-0 lead, then answered an Albany run with four more in the third. The hosts collected 10 hits, including Hough’s two-run home run and RBI single.

“It was a good, positive win for us to come back and put the hammer down,” Hough said.

Leading 4-1, the Bears ended the suspense in the third inning. Curt Smith walked, stole second and third, and scored on Mark Ostrander’s one-out single. With two out, after Ostrander stole second, Menendez singled and Hough followed with a single and took second on an error.

Reliever Nick Murphy gave way to Mathew Herrick, who immediately surrendered a two-run single by Barrett that gave UMaine an 8-1 lead.

Barrett singled twice (two RBIs) for the Bears and Ostrander posted two singles. Sayre and Al Barbato singled twice each for Albany.

In Saturday’s opener, Barksdale laid down a nifty bunt single on a squeeze play with one out in the ninth to give Albany the winning edge.

UMaine had spotted the Great Danes an early 6-2 lead, but quickly got back within a run and eventually tied the contest in the seventh when Hough doubled off the left-field fence with one out and scored on Barrett’s sharp, two-out single to right.

Albany’s Gregory allowed one run in five innings and winner Alexander Beaulieu (1-3) pitched two scoreless frames.

The Bears overcame a shaky start by Josh Zyskowski thanks to 3 1/3 solid innings from Charleston’s Jason Weymouth and another outstanding effort from A.J. Balsinde (1-2). The freshman took the loss but scattered four hits and a run with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.

“I thought A.J., once again, came in and did what he had to do,” Trimper said. “He kept the game close.”

Hough led the way for the Bears with a double and three singles, while Matt McGraw cranked a towering two-run homer and a single. Donovan singled three times in the Great Danes’ 15-hit onslaught.

GREAT DANES 7, BLACK BEARS 4

(Sunday’s Game)

Albany (14-28) Maine (27-16-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Corvino, rf 4 0 0 0 Hough, cf 4 1 0

Daniels, cf 5 0 1 0 McGraw, dh 3 0 0

Hill, c 5 0 0 0 Barrett, 1b 5 1 1

Olson, dh 5 1 0 0 Quintal, lf 4 1 0

Wyland, 3b 3 3 1 0 Smith, ss 2 1 0

Donovan, ss 4 2 2 0 McAvoy, 3b 3 0 2

Sayre, 1b 5 1 3 2 Ostrander, rf 2 0 0

Barksdale, lf 5 0 3 4 Brown, ph-rf 2 0

Barbato, 2b 3 0 0 0 Parker, c 4 0 1

Menendez, 2b 4 0 0 0

Totals 37 7 10 6 Totals 33 4 7 4

Albany 020 040 100 – 7

Maine 013 000 000 – 4

E-Quintal (1), McAvoy (16), Menendez (9); LOB-Albany 9; Maine 8; 2B-Daniels, Barksdale; S-Donovan

Albany IP H R ER BB SO

Kirbis 2 2 4 4 2 1

Gregory (W,1-0) 7 5 0 0 2 4

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Mendoza (L,1-1) 5 8 6 2 3 3

Boike 1 1/3 1 1 1 0 1

Robinson 2/3 1 0 0 0 2

Balsinde 2 0 0 0 0 0

Kirbis faced two batters in the third

HBP-Wyland 2 (by Mendoza, Boike), Smith, McAvoy (by Kirbis); T-2:43; ATT-363

GREAT DANES 7, BLACK BEARS 6

(Saturday?s First Game, 9 innings)

Albany Maine

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Barbato, 2b 5 1 1 1 Hough, cf 5 3 0

Corvino, rf 4 1 2 0 McGraw, dh 4 2 3

Wyland, 3b 4 1 1 0 Barrett, 1b 4 0 1

Hill, c 5 2 2 0 Quintal, lf 5 0 1 1

Donovan, ss 5 1 3 1 Smith, ss 4 0 0

Olson, lf 3 1 2 2 McAvoy, 3b 3 0 0

Barksdale, pr-lf 1 0 1 1 Brown, rf 4 0

Sayre, 1b 4 0 2 1 Parker, c 4 0 0

Halloran, dh 4 0 1 0 Menendez, 2b 3 1 0

Daniels, cf 4 0 0 0

Totals 39 7 15 6 Totals 36 6 9 5

Albany 420 000 001 ? 7

Maine 230 000 100 ? 6

E?Donovan (11), Sayre (5); Smith (20); LOB?Albany 10; Maine 7; 2B?Hill, Olson; Hough; HR?Barbato (4); McGraw (2); DP?Donovan-Barbato-Sayre; Smith-Menendez-Barrett; S?Halloran; SB?Barksdale 2 (13)

Albany IP H R ER BB SO

Willimott 1? 3 5 4 3 0

Gregory 5 3 1 1 1 1

Fuda ? 1 0 0 0 0

Beaulieu (W,1-3) 2 2 0 0 0 1

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Zyskowski 1 6 5 4 1 1

Weymouth 3? 5 1 1 2 1

Balsinde (L,1-2) 4? 4 1 1 1 4

WP?Willimott; T?3:15

BLACK BEARS 10, GREAT DANES 3

(Saturday’s Second Game)

Albany (13-28) Maine (27-15-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Barbato, 2b 4 0 2 1 Hough, cf 3 3 3

Corvino, rf 3 0 1 0 McGraw, dh 1 1 0

Wyland, 3b 4 0 0 0 Barrett, 1b 3 1 2

Hill, dh 2 0 0 0 Quintal, lf 4 0 1

Donovan, ss 3 0 0 0 Smith, ss 3 1 2

Olson, lf 3 1 1 1 McAvoy, 3b 4 0 0

Sayre, 1b 2 0 2 0 Ostrander, rf 4 2 1

Wood, c 3 1 1 0 Parker, c 3 1 1

Daniels, cf 1 0 1 0 Menendez, 2b 3 1 0

Barksdale, pr-cf 1 1 0 0

Totals 26 3 8 2 Totals 28 10 10 10

Albany 001 011 0 – 3

Maine 134 002 x – 10

E-Wyland (11), Olson (3), Daniels (2); LOB-Albany 6; Maine 6; 2B-Smith, Parker; HR-Olson (7); Hough (5); SB-Hough (17), McGraw (12), Smith 2 (16), Ostrander (3)

Albany IP H R ER BB SO

Walsh (L,1-3) 1 2/3 3 4 1 3 1

Murphy 1 3 4 4 1 1

Herrick 2 1/3 2 0 0 1 1

Warrings 1 2 2 2 1 1

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Powers (W,3-1) 7 8 3 3 2 2

HBP-Corvino, Daniels (by Powers); T-2:08; ATT-874