Nine games into its spring trip, the University of Maine baseball team took a much-needed day off Monday.

Coach Steve Trimper’s Black Bears (4-5) were recharging their batters in preparation for today’s 7 p.m. game against 11th-ranked Miami at Coral Gables, Fla.

UMaine has dropped three straight, including Sunday’s gut-wrenching 5-4 loss to Fordham. The Rams edged the Bears on a two-out home run in the ninth inning.

“It was the hardest loss of my career, nonconference,” said Trimper, who marveled at his team’s resilience after it had lost the previous two games by a combined score of 38-8.

“We reacted in such a positive way,” Trimper said. “We had two blowout games and then the kids go out and play the best game we ever played.”

UMaine rallied from an early 3-1 deficit against highly regarded Fordham righthander Cory Riordan, receiving a strong relief performance by Mike Powers of Portland. The sophomore righty struck out seven in 4 1/3 innings but couldn’t close out the contest.

Powers struggled in his initial start but has rebounded with two strong relief efforts.

Trimper said the Bears ran out of experienced pitching Friday and Saturday in the 17-2 loss to Penn and the 21-7 setback against St. Bonaventure.

“There’s no time in our whole year when we play this kind of schedule,” Trimper said, referring to UMaine’s nine games in nine days.

The Bears’ offensive catalyst of late has been sophomore center fielder Billy Cather, who Monday was named the America East Player of the Week. The leadoff hitter is batting .341 with 10 RBIs and seven stolen bases in eight tries.

“He’s done a great job getting on base, stealing bases, playing a good center field,” Trimper said.

Senior first baseman Joel Barrett of Brewer, who is hitting cleanup, has posted a .390 average, tops among regulars, with a home run and six RBIs.

“Joel has been on fire,” Trimper said.

Sophomore third baseman Kevin McAvoy of Brewer (.359, 1HR, 9 RBIs) and freshman backup catcher Myckie Lugbauer (.389, 1 HR, 6 RBIs) also have been steady.

Some of the regulars are off to slow starts, including No. 2 batter Matt McGraw (.263); No. 3 hitter Curt Smith (.256), who has been bothered by a quadriceps strain; catcher Sean Parker (.241), and second baseman Danny Menendez (.235).

“We haven’t hit to our potential yet, yet we’ve been scoring [10] runs a game,” said Trimper, whose squad is batting .311 and has stolen 16 bases in 17 attempts.

Trimper also has been pleased with the play of freshman outfielder Kevin Jackson (.500, 3 RBIs).

Among the pitchers, senior Greg Norton of South Portland is trying to overcome some tentativeness after sitting out last season recovering from shoulder surgery.

Lefthander Brad Hertzler (0-1, 2.57 ERA), a junior college transfer, will start tonight against Miami. Junior Nolan Boike and sophomores Mitch Clegg, Jose Mendoza, and A.J. Balsinde all have been solid.

Among other newcomers, junior JC transfer Joel Thorney is trying to build up his pitch count, while ambidextrous freshman David Ricker has worked from both sides.

“Righthanded [Wednesday], he was commanding three pitches and he was blowing it in the upper 80s [mph], low 90s,” Trimper said. “Lefty [Friday], he threw OK, but he was fastball only.”

The Bears have committed 17 errors, seven of those by Smith at shortstop.

Trimper remains optimistic about the ballclub. He is excited about tonight’s game against Miami and the upcoming four-game series at Arizona State.

“We’ve got tough kids. They’re fun to coach,” he said.

“We’re going to go in there and show them that we can outplay them, hustle harder to first base, be aggressive,” Trimper added. “I don’t have to motivate these kids to do that.”