MAINE vs. HARTFORD

Time, site: Saturday, 3 p.m., Sunday (2), noon, Monday, 1 p.m.; Campus Field, West Hartford, Conn.

Records: Maine 17-26 (8-8 America East); Hartford 12-30 (8-11)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 60-18, Maine 11-3 on 5/15/06

Top hitters – Maine: 1B Joel Barrett (.363, 5 HR, 33 RBI), 3B Curt Smith (.337, 5 HR, 37 RBI), C Matt McGraw (.314, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 17 SB), DH Myckie Lugbauer (.311, 3 HR, 18 RBI), CF Billy Cather (.294, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 13 SB); Hartford: 2B Ben Sobocinski (.338, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 11 SB), 3B Bill Perry (.296, 2 HR, 22 RBI), SS Brady Stouffer (.284, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 14 SB), CF Adam Bowser (.255, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 10 SB)

Possible Pitching Matchups

Maine Black Bears Hartford Hawks

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

LH Jose Mendoza 7.56 1-4 17 RH Weston Szymanski 3.58 4-5 29

LH Brad Hertzler 3.90 3-4 57 LH Pete Moraski 3.77 2-3 30

RH Greg Norton 5.24 5-3 37 RH Kyle Perry 6.09 1-6 12

RH Alejandro Balsinde 3.99 2-4 29 RH Chris Greiner 6.70 2-7 27

Outlook: The Bears hope to build momentum in this crucial series. Maine could take a huge step toward the AE tourney by winning three or four. Hartford is improved behind a staff that ranks third with a 3.11 ERA in AE games, but the Hawks have managed only 3.8 runs per contest. Maine’s .309 average is tops in league games and the Bears are heating up. The key for Maine is strengthening its pitching staff. Cather should see action after missing five games with bruised foot, while lefty Nolan Boike might get some needed work coming off a nagging groin strain.