Three-run rally in seventh paces Bears sweep

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DOVER, Del. – The University of Maine rallied to score three runs, all after two were out in the top of the seventh inning, winning the first game 8-7 on its way to a season-opening sweep of Delaware State in Sunday’s season-opening college baseball doubleheader at Soldier Field.

The Black Bears took the second game 11-2.

“That first game, it was a great game that we persevered,” UMaine coach Steve Trimper told Clear Channel radio. “They never quit, so it was a very nice win for them to come back like that.”

In the opener, Joe Mercurio’s RBI double plated Kevin McAvoy of Brewer with the winning run as UMaine pulled out the win against reliever David Langton.

Myckie Lugbauer ignited the rally with a two-out single to right-center, then Mark Ostrander belted his second home run of the game, tying the game at 7-7. McAvoy followed with a single through the left side, setting up Mercurio’s first hit as a Black Bear.

Senior Will Carroll of Boothbay pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the save.

Ostrander paced the offense, also stroking a solo homer in the fifth inning. Senior Curt Smith knocked in three runs with a two-run homer in the fifth and an RBI single in the third.

Billy Cather doubled twice and McAvoy added a double to back relief winner Justin Latta, who allowed four hits and three runs in three innings.

UMaine took a 2-1 lead in the third, then overcame a 5-2 deficit with three runs in the fifth before falling behind in the sixth.

Justin Bittner led Delaware State with a double, two singles and two RBIs.

In Game 2, sophomore transfer Joe Miller allowed one hit and one run, striking out four and walking four, in four innings to set the tone for UMaine.

Latta and Ryan Forrest combined to allow only two hits and a run as the Bears finished with a combined five-hitter.

Redshirt freshman Joey Martin of Portland lined a three-run double in his first collegiate at-bat, highlighting a five-run first inning that gave the pitchers more than enough support.

“I’m excited about Joey Martin, he played that second game and had that big double,” Trimper said. “He’s swinging it well.”

Cather, Smith and Lugbauer opened the first-inning rally with consecutive singles off loser Josh Schmidt (0-1). One out later, McAvoy drew a bases-loaded walk.

Martin cleared the bases with a double to right-center, and scored on a two-out double to left-center by Danny Menendez.

Smith cranked a solo home run and three singles to pace UMaine’s 14-hit onslaught, while Menendez doubled twice and Lugbauer singled twice. McAvoy rapped a two-run double.

Matt Howard hit a solo homer in his first at-bat for the Black Bears.

Jose Sanchez hit two singles for the Hornets.

The Bears finished the day with six errors, but they led to only three unearned runs on the afternoon.

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BLACK BEARS 8, HORNETS 7

(Sunday’s First Game)

Maine Delaware State

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Cather, cf 4 1 2 0 Lineweaver, cf 4 1 1

Menendez, 2b 3 0 0 0 Bittner, 2b 4 0 2

Smith, lf 3 1 2 3 Sanchez, ss 2 1 0

Lugbauer, 1b 3 1 1 1 Friel, 1b 3 1 0

Ostrander, rf 4 2 2 3 Kidd, 3b 4 0

McAvoy, dh 4 1 2 0 Weather, c 4 0 1

Mercurio, c 4 0 1 1 Johnson, lf 3 1 0

Hackett, 3b 1 1 0 0 Bibb, dh 2 1 0

Jackson, ph 1 0 0 0 Drummond, dh 2 0 0

Lukas, 3b 0 0 0 0 Scheiwe, rf 3 1 1

Patane, ss 4 1 1 0

Totals 31 8 11 8 Totals 31 7 10 5

Maine 002 030 3 – 8

Delaware State 013 102 0 – 7

E-Hackett (1), Latta (1); LOB-Maine 7; DSU 7; 2B-Cather 2, McAvoy, Mercurio; Lineweaver, Bittner; HR-Smith (1), Ostrander 2 (2); DP-Lineweaver-Bittner;SF-Lugbauer

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Thorney 3 5 4 3 1 1

Latta (W,1-0) 3 4 3 3 2 2

Carroll (S,1) 1 1 0 0 0 1

Delaware State IP H R ER BB SO

McAllister 5 7 5 5 2 8

Langton (L,0-1) 2 4 3 3 0 2

HBP-Hackett (by McAllister), Sanchez (by Thorney), Lukas (by Langton); WP-Thorney 3; PB-Weather; T-2:24

BLACK BEARS 11, HORNETS 2

(Sunday’s Second Game)

Maine (2-0) Delaware State (0-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Cather, cf 3 1 1 1 Lineweaver, cf 1 0 0

Hasenfus, ph 1 0 1 0 Drummond, cf 1 0 0

Smith, 3b 5 3 4 1 Bittner, 2b 4 1 0

Hackett, 3b 1 0 0 0 Sanchez, ss 3 1 0

Lugbauer, 1b 3 2 2 1 Kidd, 3b 2 0 0

Jones, ph 1 0 0 0 Noriega, ph 1 0 0

Ostrander, rf 4 0 0 0 Friel, 1b 4 2

Jackson, ph 1 0 0 0 Babineaux, dh 4 0 0

McAvoy, dh 1 1 1 3 Johnson, lf 3 0 0

Howard, ph 1 1 1 1 Carter, c 3 0 0

Martin, lf 3 1 1 3 Scheiwe, rf 1 0 0

Mercurio, c 3 0 0 0 Bibb, ph 1 0 0

Menendez, 2b 3 1 2 1

Lukas, ph 0 0 0 0

Patane, ss 4 1 1 0

Totals 34 11 14 11 Totals 28 2 5 2

Maine 510 221 00 – 11

Delaware 001 000 1x – 2

E-Smith (1), Hackett 2 (3), Lugbauer (1); Carter (1); LOB-Maine 8; DSU 10; 2B-McAvoy, Martin, Menendez 2; Drummond; HR-Smith (2), Howard (1); DP-Menendez-Patane-Smith; SF-Cather

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Miller (W,1-0) 4 1 1 0 4 4

Latta 1 2 0 0 0 0

Forrest 2 2 1 0 0 1

Delaware State IP H R ER BB SO

Schmidt (L,0-1) 3 2/3 8 8 8 3 6

Portela 2 1/3 5 3 3 1 3

Bell 1 1 0 0 0 1

HBP-McAvoy (by Schmidt); Sanchez (by Miller); WP-Miller; Schmidt; PB-Carter 2; T-2:30; ATT-50