BURLINGTON, Vt. – The University of Maine believed it had earned a spot in the America East baseball tournament by virtue of Saturday’s victory over Vermont.

After being forced by league commissioner Patrick Nero to remain here Sunday to play the final game of a four-game series, the Black Bears took out their frustrations on Vermont.

Freshman righthander Mike Powers of Portland pitched 6 1/3 innings of five-hit ball and the Bears backed him with an 18-hit attack Sunday, clinching a spot in the America East tournament with an 11-3 victory over Vermont at Centennial Field.

“It was a big win for us,” said sophomore Mark Ostrander, who posted four hits, including a two-run homer in the fourth, a double and two singles. “We’re all wearing used underwear and dirty socks, stuff like that, but it was fun. ”

Coach Steve Trimper’s UMaine team (32-20-1, 13-9 AE) will play an undetermined opponent here Thursday in the first round of the four-team, double-elimination AE tourney. Vermont (18-32, 16-8) had already wrapped up the No. 1 seed and the right to host the event.

After losing twice Thursday, having Friday’s action rained out and winning Saturday’s rain-shortened, five-inning game 4-1, UMaine was directed to play Sunday.

UMaine refused to allow contenders Binghamton and Stony Brook decide their fate.

“I told the guys, we were put in a tremendously adverse situation,” Trimper said. “They really got a little ticked off. They wanted to really respond.”

Powers (4-3) allowed one unearned run, striking out three and walking three. He joined classmate Jose Mendoza, Saturday’s winner, in keeping UMaine in contention.

“We stuck two freshmen out there when we had must-win situations,” Trimper said. “If they don’t get the job done, we’re not going on, and they both stepped up.”

Sunday evening, the Bears took an early lead, then kept the momentum going with four runs in the third and three in the fourth on the way to an 8-0 advantage.

Curt Smith sparked UMaine with a three-run home run in the third and an RBI single in the eighth among his three hits. Sean Parker also stroked three singles.

“That was a long week,” Smith said. “We came and played hard and we got two wins. We didn’t have pressure.”

The Bears scored four times in the third off starter Keith Rakus (1-1). Matt McGraw (two singles) started the rally with a one-out double, Joel Barrett (two singles) was hit by a pitch and Smith lashed a three-run shot to left-center.

Kevin McAvoy followed with a solo blast to right-center that gave UMaine a 5-0 lead.

The momentum carried over into the fourth when Ostrander’s two-run homer helped make it 8-0.

“Coach had a talk with me and said he isn’t going to lose faith in me, so he gave me a lot of confidence,” said Powers, who struggled his previous two outings. “We just got mentally prepared and came out and did our job.”

Maine is guaranteed at least the third seed in the tourney and could get the second seed. Binghamton and Albany are seeking the final berth and that will be determined on Monday when Binghamton plays Stony Brook.

If Binghamton defeats Stony Brook, then the Bearcats are in the tourney. If Stony Brook wins, then Albany is in the tourney.

The Bears’ emotional roller coaster ride continued Saturday. Having played the minimum 21 games to qualify for postseason and with Game 2 rained out, the Bears thought they had earned a playoff berth.

Article 1.1.6.6 in the AE baseball policies manual prohibits teams from extending regular-season series to a fourth day, but Nero ordered UMaine to stay and play the fourth game because of its playoff ramifications.

The move angered Trimper whose team, which had left Orono Tuesday for a nonleague game at Northeastern, had checked out of its hotel and exhausted its meal money for the players and coaches.

On the field, Mendoza (3-1) scattered three hits over five soggy innings to spearhead the victory. The poised lefthander ignored rain during his last four innings, allowing one unearned run.

“I was just thinking about the seniors. I didn’t want to let them down,” Mendoza said. “Even though it was raining, I still felt great.”

Mendoza, mixing a two-seam fastball and a slider, stayed around the plate and worked quickly to make sure the Bears got in five innings.

“He pitched the game of his life for us and that’s what we needed, especially out of a young guy like Jose,” Hough said.

UMaine scored four times in the third off loser Eric Thompson (4-2). Danny Menendez worked a leadoff walk, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Hough’s double to left.

McGraw walked and Barrett followed with a line-drive RBI single to right. One out later, McAvoy reached on an error to load the bases. Ostrander plated two runs with a hot smash at the feet of shortstop Jim Chapman that was ruled an error.

“It’s a great job by our guys of just staying focused, not letting the elements bother them,” Hough said. “We needed to win this game. We went out there and took care of business. ”

Mendoza’s only shaky inning was the second when he walked three batters and made a throwing error, but allowed only one run.

BLACK BEARS 11, CATAMOUNTS 3

(Sunday’s Game)

Maine (32-20-1) Vermont (18-32)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Hough, cf 5 1 2 0 Carey,lf 5 0 1

McGraw, dh 5 2 2 0 Chapman, ss 4 0 0

Barrett, 1b 4 3 2 1 Brault, rf 5 0 1

Smith, ss 6 2 3 4 Rembisz, 2b-p 5 0 0

McAvoy, 3b 4 1 1 2 Nolet, 1b 3 1 0

Hackett, 3b 1 0 0 0 Naimoli, dh 2 0 0

Ostrander, rf 6 2 4 2 Morris, 2b 1 0

Parker, c 5 0 3 0 Massie, 3b 3 0 0

Menendez, 2b 3 0 1 1 Hale, c 1 0 0 0

Carter, lf 6 0 0 0 Heppner, cf 3 1 1

Huntington, cf 2 0 0 0

Gallipani, cf 2 1 1 0

Totals 45 11 18 10 Totals 36 3 9 3

Maine 014 310 020 – 11

Vermont 000 100 002 – 3

E-McAvoy; Brault, Heppner; LOB-Maine 16, Vermont 10; 2B-Hough, McGraw, Ostrander; Brault; HR-Smith, McAvoy; DP-Maine 1, Vermont 1;SF-McAvoy; SB-Hough

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Powers (W,4-3) 6 1/3 5 1 0 3 3

Balsinde 2 2/3 4 2 2 0 2

Vermont IP H R ER BB SO

Rakus (L,1-1) 3 1/3 7 7 7 3 4

Bayer 2 1/3 5 2 1 3 3

Marsh 1 1/3 2 0 0 0 0

Rembisz 2 4 2 2 0 2

HBP-Parker by Rakus, Barrett by Rakus,; Massie by Powers; WP-Powers; Rembisz, Rakus 2, Bayer 2; PB-Parker; T-3:09; ATT-168

BLACK BEARS 4, CATAMOUNTS 1

(Saturday’s Game)

Maine (31-21-1) Vermont (18-31)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Hough, cf 3 1 1 1 Carey, lf 3 0 0

McGraw, lf 1 1 1 0 Chapman, ss 3 0 0

Barrett, 1b 3 1 1 1 Brault, rf 3 0 0

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

McAvoy, dh 3 0 0 0 Rembisz, 2b 2 0 0

Ostrander, rf 3 0 0 1 Naimoli, dh 1 0

Parker, c 1 0 0 0 Heppner, c 2 0 1

Hackett, 3b 2 0 0 0 Massie, 3b 1 0 0

Menendez, 2b 0 1 0 0 Gallipani, cf 1 0 0

Totals 19 4 3 3 Totals 18 1 3 1

Maine 004 00 – 4

Vermont 010 00 – 1

E-Smith, Mendoza; Chapman; LOB-Maine 5, Vermont 6; 2B-Hough; DP-Vermont; S-Naimoli; SB-Hough

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Mendoza (W, 3-1) 5 3 1 0 3 2

Vermont IP H R ER BB SO

Thompson (L, 4-2) 5 3 4 2 4 0

WP-Thomson; T-1:45; ATT-225