DOVER, Del. – Sophomore Myckie Lugbauer knocked in six runs on six hits Monday, sparking the University of Maine baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Delaware State at Soldier Field.

Lugbauer rapped a double and two singles with three RBIs and three runs scored in the 16-7 opening-game victory, then hit a home run and a double good for three RBIs as the Black Bears won the nightcap 11-3.

“It’s nice to come out of here with four wins. It’s a good start to the season,” said UMaine coach Steve Trimper, whose team returns to Orono with a 4-0 record, UMaine’s best start since 2001.

The Bears now begin preparing for a three-game series at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas starting Friday night.

“They’re [Delaware State] a good ballclub. I think it was a good team for us to play,” Trimper said. “UNLV will be a notch up. We’ve got to go out there and get into a couple battles with those guys.”

In the first game, Lugbauer and senior Curt Smith (two-run homer, solo homer, five runs scored) spearheaded the 13-hit attack.

Freshman Matt Jebb pitched four innings to win his initial collegiate appearance, while classmate Jim Cox of Bangor pitched three hitless innings in relief.

UMaine put runs on the board in every inning. Smith’s first home run came in the first after Matt Howard walked, then he led off the third with another shot, giving him four in four games this season.

Smith was walked intentionally twice in the first game and once more in the second game.

Senior Mark Ostrander stroked a double and two singles with two RBIs in the opener, while freshman Jarrett Lukas of Old Town socked a three-run home run in the second inning for his first hit at the college level.

Only two of the seven runs allowed by UMaine pitchers were earned as the Bears committed two errors.

Jarrett Bibb stroked a double and two singles for the Hornets (0-4)

In Game 2, junior Alejandro Balsinde scattered four hits and three runs over 6 1/3 innings and the Bears offense broke loose for 11 runs in the last two innings to secure the victory.

UMaine trailed 1-0 before scoring five times in the sixth.

Kevin McAvoy of Brewer stroked a one-out double and scored on a single up the middle by Danny Menendez that chased Hornets starter James Friel. Reliever Mike Ingram walked Joe Mercurio, who then teamed with Menendez on a successful double steal.

Lukas put the Bears in front for good with a two-run double to left field. Tony Patane singled, setting up a sacrifice fly by Billy Cather. Consecutive walks and a passed ball pushed another run across.

UMaine tacked on six runs in the seventh. Key blows included an RBI double by Lukas, Smith’s RBI single and Lugbauer’s three-run homer to left.

McAvoy doubled and singled and Smith singled twice for the Bears.

Jared Lineweaver doubled and singled for Delaware State.

bdnsports@bangordailynews.net

BLACK BEARS 16, HORNETS 7

(First Game)

Maine Delaware State

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Cather, cf 5 1 1 0 Lineweaver, cf 3 0 2

Howard, dh 2 2 0 0 Bittner, 2b 4 0 1

Jackson, dh 1 1 1 1 Sanchez, ss 3 2 0

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

Lugbauer, c 4 3 3 3 Friel, 1b 3 0 0

Ostrander, rf 5 0 3 2 Portela, 1b 1 0

Martin, rf 0 0 0 0 Weather, c 2 0 0

McAvoy, lf 3 1 0 2 Carter, c 0 0 0

Hasenfus, lf 1 0 0 0 Johnson, rf 2 1 1

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

Lukas, 3b 5 1 1 3 Drummond, lf 3 1 0

Patane, ss 5 0 1 1 Babineaux, lf 1 0 0

Totals 37 16 13 15 Totals 28 7 7 7

Maine 232 212 4 – 16

Delaware State 000 500 2 – 7

E-Lukas (1), Jebb (1); Lineweaver, Sanchez, Kidd, Scheiwe; LOB-Maine 8; DSU 8; 2B-Jackson Lugbauer, Ostrander, Menendez; Lineweaver; HR-Smith 2 (4), Lukas (1); SF-Bibb; SB-Smith (1)

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Jebb (W,1-0) 4 7 5 0 2 4

Cox 3 0 2 2 4 3

Delaware State IP H R ER BB SO

Scheiwe (L,0-1) 3 2/3 5 9 8 3 6

Kornemann 3 1/3 8 7 5 3 2

HBP-McAvoy, Howard (by Scheiwe); Sanchez (by Cox); WP-Kornemann; BK-Cox; PB-Lugbauer; T-2:25

BLACK BEARS 11, HORNETS 3

(Second Game)

Maine (4-0) Delaware State (0-4)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

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

Smith, 1b 3 1 2 1 Babineaux, cf 1 0 0

Lugbauer, dh-p 4 1 2 3 Bittner, 2b 3 1

Hasenfus, dh 0 0 0 0 Sanchez, ss 2 0 0

Ostrander, rf 4 0 0 0 Noriega, ss 1 0

McAvoy, lf 4 2 2 0 Kidd, 3b 4 0 0

Menendez, 2b 3 1 1 1 Bibb, lf 2 2 0

Mercurio, c 3 2 0 0 Johnson, rf 2 0 0

Lukas, 3b 4 2 2 3 Drummond, dh 1 0 0

Patane, ss 4 1 1 0 Scheiwe, dh 2 0 1

Carter, c 2 0 0 0

Portela, 1b 2 1 0 0

Totals 32 11 11 9 Totals 25 3 4 2

Maine 000 005 6 – 11

Delaware State 000 101 1 – 3

E-Patane 2 (2); Bittner, Sanchez, Johnson; LOB-Maine 8, DSU 7; 2B-Lugbauer, McAvoy, Lukas 2; Lineweaver, Bibb, Scheiwe; HR-Lugbauer (1); DP-DSU; S-Bittner, Johnson; SF-Cather; SB-Smith (1), Menendez 2 (2), Mercurio (1); Bibb

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Balsinde (W,1-0) 6 1/3 4 3 2 3 3

Lugbauer 2/3 0 0 0 0 1

Delaware State IP H R ER BB SO

Friel 5 1/3 5 2 2 3 4

Ingram (L,0-1) 2/3* 3 4 3 3 0

Perkins 1 3 5 5 1 3

HBP-Sanchez (by Balsinde); WP-Lugbauer, Balsinde 2; PB-Mercurio; T-2:00; ATT-35

*-faced one batter in the seventh