Baseball

MAINE vs. MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY

Time, site: Friday (2), 3 p.m., Saturday (2), 3 p.m.; ECSU Stadium, Mansfield, Conn.

Records: Maine 5-19 (0-4 America East); UMBC 8-17 (0-4)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 9-1, Maine 16-7, 6-4 on 4/9/06

Top hitters – Maine: 1B Joel Barrett (.337, 2 HR, 17 RBI), 3B Curt Smith (.333, 2 HR, 15 RBI), C Myckie Lugbauer (.313, 2 HR, 8 RBI), CF Billy Cather (.271, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 8 SB), LF Matt McGraw (.270, 1 HR, 11, RBI, 7 SB); UMBC: SS Steve Bowen (.377, 3 HR, 12 RBI), LF Will Delawter (.370, 2 HR, 14 RBI), RF Scott Peddicord (.286, 2 HR, 24 RBI), 1B Steve Gale (.279, 1 HR, 13 RBI)

Possible Pitching Matchups

UMBC Retrievers Maine Black Bears

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

RH Marty Zawacki 6.75 2-3 11 LH Brad Hertzler 5.52 0-3 29

LH Will Delawter 6.88 0-3 7 RH Mike Powers 6.75 0-3 18

RH Steve Evans 3.24 3-2 28 RH Greg Norton 7.62 2-3 25

RH Dan Blewett 5.81 0-6 29 RH A.J. Balsinde 5.96 0-3 12

Outlook: The Black Bears look to halt an eight-game losing streak and get back on track to make a run at the conference title. UMaine has been idle since dropping a four-game series last weekend at Stony Brook. The Retrievers have lost five straight, including a four-game home set to Hartford. Pitching and defense remain the concerns for the Bears, who trail all AE teams in both categories. UMaine is without Kevin McAvoy, who is sidelined by an undisclosed injury. Delawter is the No. 3 hitter in the league and Peddicord’s 24 RBIs top conference hitters.