Patane sparks Bears Maine beats up Husson 19-1

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BANGOR – Tony Patane knocked in five runs with four hits, including a two-run home run as the University of Maine baseball team cruised to a 19-1 victory over Husson College at windswept Winkin Complex Friday afternoon.

The Division I Black Bears (10-13-1) continued their torrid hitting, pounding out 19 hits heading into today’s 4 p.m. America East doubleheader against Albany at Mahaney Diamond in Orono.

“We saw a completely different pitching style today. We saw a lot of offspeed, but everybody made a really good adjustment,” said sophomore shortstop Patane, who also stroked an RBI double, a run-scoring single, a double and a run-producing groundout.

The Division III Eagles (6-14), playing for the third straight day, look to rebound in today’s 3 p.m. North Atlantic Conference home twinbill against Elms.

UMaine scored eight times in the first inning en route to building a cozy lead. The Bears have outscored their opponents 53-4 in the last three outings.

“I think it was good for both teams instead of taking a practice day going into a conference weekend for both teams,” Trimper said. “We carried over our hitting from last weekend, which is good.”

Freshman Jarrett Lukas of Old Town plated four runs with a two-run home run in the first inning and a two-run shot in the fifth for the Bears.

“The whole team’s been crushing the ball. I think we’ve gotten back to hitting gap to gap,” Lukas said.

“The whole team’s itching to go play some conference games, see what we can do,” he said.

Danny Menendez rapped a two-run double, two singles and a sacrifice fly; Matt Howard posted an RBI single and a two-run homer; Kevin McAvoy of Brewer contributed an RBI triple and two singles; and Billy Cather homered to open the game.

Senior righthander Joel Thorney pitched five innings of two-hit shutout ball, striking out eight and walking one, to earn his first victory as a Division I pitcher.

Thorney, who has been plagued by injuries, hadn’t pitched since March 14 because of a sore biceps and an injury to his right pinkie finger.

“It seemed like everything is coming back, so it was good to get out there again,” Thorney said. “I was working on some things and hopefully take that into the next game.”

Ryan Forrest allowed one run on one hit, working the last three innings for a save.

“Our pitching has been so stellar, they really haven’t gotten the opportunity to pitch, so it was really good to get them in and they clutched up,” Patane said of the relief corps.

Dennis Graham lined a solo home run in the ninth inning and added a single to pace Husson, which had five hits and committed three errors.

UMaine played errorless ball for the fifth straight game.

Interim coach Jason Harvey said Husson welcomed the challenge of facing the Black Bears.

“We’ve got to play. It doesn’t matter who we play,” Harvey said. “Today we saw some good pitching and that’s going to help us in the long run.”

pwarner@bangordailynews.net

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BLACK BEARS 19, EAGLES 1

Maine (10-13-1) Husson (6-14)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Cather, cf 4 2 1 1 Guerette, ss 4 0 0

Hasenfus, cf 2 0 0 0 Crews, cf 2 0 0

Howard, lf 5 2 2 3 Frail, cf 2 0 0

Smith, 1b-3b 5 2 2 0 Miller, dh 3 0 0

Lugbauer, dh 4 2 1 2 Candage, dh 1 0 0

Jackson, dh 2 0 0 0 Arthers, c 2 0 0

McAvoy, rf 4 3 3 1 McGinley, c 1 0 0

Ostrander, rf 2 0 0 0 Patterson, 1b 2 0

Patane, ss 6 4 4 5 Graham, 1b 2 1 1

Lukas, 3b 3 2 2 4 Arsenault, lf 2 0 0

Martin, 1b 2 1 1 0 Knight, lf 2 0 0

Menendez, 2b 5 1 3 3 York, rf 4 0 0

Mercurio, c 3 0 0 0 Cushing, 2b 2 0 0

Shannon, 3b 3 0 1 0

Totals 47 19 19 19 Totals 32 1 5 1

Maine 820 050 301 – 19

Husson 000 000 001 – 1

E-Patterson (3), Arsenault (2), Cushing (8); LOB-Maine 9; Husson 6; 2B-Smith, Lugbauer, Patane 2, Martin, Menendez; Miller; 3B-McAvoy; HR-Cather (2), Howard (4), Patane (3), Lukas 2 (3); Graham (2); SF-Menendez; SB-Howard (3), Menendez (5)

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Thorney (W,1-1) 5 2 0 0 1 8

Boike 1 2 0 0 1 2

Forrest (S,1) 3 1 1 1 0 2

Husson IP H R ER BB SO

Leeman (L,0-1) 0 6 8 8 2 0

Walker 4 1/3 6 6 5 0 2

Sullivan 2 2/3 5 4 4 0 1

Beatham 2 2 1 1 1 0

Leeman pitched to eight batters in the first

HBP-Mercurio, Lukas, Cather (by Walker); WP-Sullivan, Beatham; PB-Arthers; T-2:40; ATT-150