UMBC salvages split with Bears

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BALTIMORE – Dave Divita and Sean Rae combined to limit the University of Maine to nine hits Sunday afternoon, leading the University of Maryland Baltimore County to a 4-2 America East victory at The Baseball Factory Field.

The win by the Retrievers salvaged a split of the four-game series after the Black Bears posted an 11-7 victory in Saturday’s contest.

Coach Steve Trimper’s UMaine team slipped to 14-18-1, 3-5 in conference play, while UMBC is now 12-22, 4-8 in America East.

“We got some positive things out of this weekend, but the road doesn’t get any easier,” Trimper said. “This is conference baseball and it’s a very equal conference.”

The Bears return to action Tuesday at 5 p.m. with a nonleague game against Thomas College of Waterville at Mahaney Diamond in Orono.

Saturday night, Jimmy Cox of Bangor pitched 2 2/3 innings of one-hit, shutout relief to help the Bears outlast the Retrievers and earn his first collegiate victory.

The freshman righthander came on in relief of starter Matt Jebb in the seventh inning with runners at first and second and one out. Cox induced a flyout and registered a strikeout to keep the game tied at 7-7.

“He had a great outing,” Trimper said of Cox. “He was spotting his fastball and he was throwing a good breaking pitch. We brought him in in a tough situation. He had great composure out there.”

UMaine eventually rewarded Cox’s efforts by scoring three runs in the ninth.

Curt Smith worked a leadoff walk, then Myckie Lugbauer singled to right-center, before both advanced on a balk by UMBC reliever Austin Drewyer. One out later, Tony Patane was walked intentionally to load the bases.

Jarrett Lukas’ fielder’s choice grounder produced two runs, one on initial play and the second on an error by the second baseman. Joey Martin of Portland singled to left to make it 10-7, then Kevin Jackson’s infield single gave the Bears the margin of victory.

“It was a character win and we needed that win,” Trimper said.

Jackson and Patane also rapped two-run singles during UMaine’s five-run second inning to pace the offense. Lugbauer added another single.

The Retrievers piled up 14 hits, 13 coming against Jebb. Joe Fowler led UMBC with a two-run home run and two singles while Will Delawter knocked in three runs with two doubles.

UMaine played errorless defense, while UMBC committed five errors that eventually led to three unearned runs.

Sunday afternoon, UMaine wound up going 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 base-runners.

The Bears also were the beneficiaries of a walk and three hit batsmen.

Divita (2-4) scattered seven hits through seven innings, before Rae pitched two innings of shutout relief to get the save.

Junior righthander Alejandro Balsinde (1-4) took the loss for UMaine despite allowing only seven hits and three earned runs in six innings.

“A.J. went out there and threw strikes and battled and competed,” Trimper said. “So did Joel Thorney.”

Smith sparked the UMaine offense with two doubles and a single, while Lugbauer doubled and singled with an RBI.

Delawter hit a solo homer and two singles good for another RBI to lead UMBC. Scott Peddicord doubled twice with an RBI.

The Retrievers broke a 2-2 deadlock during a rain-delayed sixth inning. Delawter singled, but was erased on Shawn Retz’s fielder’s choice. Balsinde then walked Tom Meaney and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Wink Nolan’s sacrifice fly gave UMBC the lead for good.

The Bears plated one run in the third on Smith’s leadoff double and a subsequent sacrifice fly by Patane.

UMaine scored again in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Smith and Lugbauer with nobody out, but couldn’t advance Lugbauer.

BLACK BEARS 11, RETRIEVERS 7

(Saturday’s Game)

Maine UMBC

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Cather, cf 6 1 1 0 Brainer, 2b 5 1 0

Menendez, 2b 4 1 1 0 Peddicord, rf 4 2 0

Smith, 1b 2 2 1 1 Fowler, lf 5 2 3

Lugbauer, c 5 2 2 1 Delawter, dh 4 0 2

McAvoy, rf 5 1 1 0 Medairy, pr 0 0 0

Patane, ss 4 3 2 2 Nolan, cf 4 1 0

Lukas, 3b 4 1 1 1 Retz, 1b 5 1 0

Martin, lf 3 0 1 2 Meaney, c 4 0 0

Jackson, dh 5 0 2 3 Russo, 3b 5 0 1

Lemon, ss 4 0 1 1

Totals 38 11 12 10 Totals 40 7 14 7

Maine 115 000 004 – 11

Maryland Baltimore County 201 120 100 – 7

E-Brainer (3), Peddicord (1), Russo 2 (9), Blewett (2); LOB-Maine 9, UMBC 10; 2B-Cather, Patane; Brainer, Peddicord, Fowler, Delawter 2, Retz; HR-Fowler (5); DP-Maine 1, UMBC 1; S-Menendez, Lukas; SF-Smith; SB-Menendez (7); Nolan (5)

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Jebb 6 1/3 13 7 7 4 7

Cox (W, 1-0) 2 2/3 1 0 0 0 2

UMBC IP H R ER BB SO

Blewett 6 8 7 5 4 5

Drewyer (L, 0-2) 3 4 4 3 2 2

BK-Drewyer; T-2:55; ATT-183

RETRIEVERS 4, BLACK BEARS 2

(Sunday’s Game)

Maine (14-18-1) UMBC (12-22)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Cather, cf 5 0 0 0 Brainer, 2b 4 1 0

Menendez, 2b 5 0 0 0 Peddicord, rf 4 1 1

Smith, dh 4 2 3 0 Fowler, lf 4 0 0

Lugbauer, 1b 4 0 2 1 Delawter, dh 4 1 2

McAvoy, rf 4 0 0 0 Retz, 1b 3 1 0

Patane, ss 3 0 1 1 Meaney, c 2 0 0

Lukas, 3b 3 0 1 0 Nolan, cf 3 0 1

Martin, lf 3 0 1 0 Lemon, 3b 3 0 0

Mercurio, c 2 0 1 0 Conlon, ss 3 0 0

Jackson, ph 1 0 0 0

Totals 34 2 9 2 Totals 30 4 8 4

Maine 001 010 000 – 2

Maryland Baltimore County 100 011 01x – 4

E-Balsinde (2); LOB-Maine 11, UMBC 6; 2B-Smith 2, Lugbauer; Peddicord 2; HR-Delawter (7); DP-UMBC 1; S-Martin; SF-Patane; Nolan; SB-Smith (10); Brainer (4)

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Balsinde (L, 1-4) 6 7 3 3 2 1

Thorney 2 1 1 1 0 2

UMBC IP H R ER BB SO

Divita (W, 2-4) 7 7 2 2 0 0

Rae (S, 1) 2 2 0 0 1 1

HBP-Lugbauer, Lukas, Mercurio (by Divita); Retz (by Thorney); WP-Balsinde; T-3:28; ATT-67