ALBANY, N.Y. – John Naples fashioned a four-hit shutout Friday afternoon as the University at Albany opened its America East baseball series against UMaine with a 7-0 victory at in a scheduled nine-inning game at Varsity Field.

Naples, a senior righthander, struck out four, walked three and hit two batters as the Great Danes improved to 16-19, 3-6 in conference play.

UMaine (13-22, 4-5 AE) managed only singles by Billy Cather, Myckie Lugbauer, Kevin Jackson and Danny Menendez in the loss, its second in two days.

The squads are slated to play a noon doubleheader today consisting of two, seven-inning contests, then play a nine-inning game Sunday at 1 p.m.

Alejandro Balsinde (1-4) absorbed the loss for the Black Bears, giving up 14 hits and seven runs in eight innings. The sophomore righty had gone into the game with a team-best 3.86 earned run average.

Albany scored all the runs it would need while snapping a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning. Chris Wood hit a one-out double to left and Al Barbato stroked an RBI single up the middle.

Phil Marchese kept the rally going with a single and, one out later, Steve Wyland delivered a two-run double to center.

The Great Danes added two runs each in the sixth and eighth innings to provide ample insurance for Naples.

Barbato finished with two singles and three RBIs, while Dave West, Sayre and Wood each posted a double and a single for the Great Danes.

Bears senior co-captain Matt McGraw went 0-for-3 with a walk and had a 13-game hitting streak snapped.

UMaine had baserunners in six innings, but couldn’t score. The Bears had runners at second and third in the fourth after a single by Cather and a walk to Joel Barrett, but left them stranded.

The visitors threatened in the eighth on Jackson’s leadoff infield single and a one-out single to right by Menendez, but couldn’t cash in.

The Bears, who went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position overall, also left runners at second and third again in the ninth inning with two shots to push a run across.

GREAT DANES 7, BLACK BEARS 0

Maine (13-22) Albany (16-19)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Cather, cf 3 0 1 0 Marchese, lf 5 1 1

McGraw, c 3 0 0 0 Corvino, rf 5 0 0

Smith, 3b 4 0 0 0 Wyland, 3b 4 0 2

Barrett, 1b 2 0 0 0 Hill, dh 3 0 0

Lugbauer, dh 4 0 1 0 Donovan, ss 4 0 0

McAvoy, rf 4 0 0 0 West, cf 4 2 0

Jackson, lf 4 0 1 0 Sayre, 1b 4 2 1

Hackett, ss 2 0 0 0 Wood, c 3 1 1 0

Menendez, 2b 3 0 1 0 Barbato, 2b 4 1 3

Totals 29 0 4 0 Totals 36 7 14 7

Maine 000 000 000 – 0

Albany 000 032 02x – 7

E-Smith (18); LOB-Maine 7; Albany 7; 2B-Wyland, West, Sayre, Wood; DP-Hackett-Menendez-Barrett; Wyland-Sayre, Donovan-Barbato-Sayre; S-Hill; SB-Cather (12), Barrett (1); Marchese (4)

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Balsinde (L, 1-4) 8 14 7 7 1 3

Albany IP H R ER BB SO

Naples (W, 6-2) 9 4 0 0 3 4

HBP-Hackett, Barrett (by Naples); WP-Naples; T-2:05; ATT-50