University of Maine baseball players Curt Smith, Billy Cather, Alejandro Balsinde and Mike Powers all played key roles in leading the Vermont Mountaineers to their second straight New England Collegiate Baseball League title this summer.

The Mountaineers compiled a 24-18 record during the regular season and an unblemished 6-0 mark in postseason play, sweeping best-of-three series against Newport, R.I., Keene, N.H., and Holyoke, Mass.

Smith recorded a .435 batting average, scored nine runs and drove in three during the playoffs. His 10 postseason hits, including two home runs and four doubles, were a team high.

During the regular season, Smith batted .313 with 10 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 24 RBIs and scored 29 runs. He also stole seven bases.

Cather hit at a .273 clip in the playoffs and a .262 average in the regular season, driving in seven runs and scoring seven more.

Balsinde appeared in one game in the postseason, pitching one scoreless inning. He tied for the team lead with 14 appearances during regular-season play and finished with a 2-1 record, 3.31 ERA and two saves in 32 2/3 innings.

Powers finished the regular season 4-2 with a 2.70 ERA and appeared in one playoff game. His four regular-season victories tied for the team lead. In six starts in 13 games, he struck out 31 batters while holding opponents to a .233 average.

Flaherty joins field hockey staff

Katie Flaherty, a three-year captain and former Miss Maine Field Hockey, has joined head coach Josette Babineau’s staff as a graduate assistant.

“I am very happy to have Katie Flaherty join our coaching staff and remain a part of the UMaine field hockey program,” Babineau said in a press release. “She is respected by everyone in the program and we are very excited to have her complete our staff.”

Flaherty, a Winslow High School product, played in 54 collegiate games for the Black Bears, scoring one goal and dishing out eight assists from the midfield position.

Flaherty was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I All-Northeast Region second team in 2006, while also earning America East second team accolades.

In addition to those honors, Flaherty was named a UMaine Scholar-Athlete and was named to the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Flaherty graduated from UMaine in December 2006 with a degree in kinesiology and physical education with a concentration in teaching and coaching.