The outlook is a bit more optimistic this week for the University of Maine baseball team.

Monday night’s dramatic 7-4 victory over Hartford gave the Black Bears a boost of energy heading into this weekend’s crucial America East four-game series at Vermont.

The Hawks loaded the bases and brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate with nobody out in the ninth inning but escaped behind the effective relief pitching of Jimmy Cox. The freshman from Bangor struck out all three men he faced to secure the victory.

“I’m not going to lie, I was kind of nervous, but Jimmy got out of it,” said UMaine senior captain Curt Smith. “That’s great momentum for us going into Vermont.”

Coach Steve Trimper’s ballclub (18-23-1, 6-10 AE) has moved into sixth place, one game behind No. 5 Vermont (21-20, 7-9 AE), in the conference standings.

Even so, the Bears still must get on a serious roll in the final two weekends in order to sneak into fourth place and secure a spot in the league tournament.

Monday’s hard-fought victory could go a long way toward giving UMaine the momentum it needs to peak down the stretch – especially since the Bears have lost more than their share of close contests this season.

“Winning those games is what gives you the confidence to say, ‘We can get in that situation, we can walk that tight line, and be OK,'” said senior Mark Ostrander, who sat out but is playing through some pain in the foot he injured April 12 against Albany.

“It will give us a little bit of confidence going into Vermont this weekend,” he said.

Monday’s other key development was the return to the mound of Joe Miller.

Coming off a 15-day layoff because of mononucleosis, the sophomore righthander limited Hartford to three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in a seven-inning performance.

“It’s been a couple of weeks, so I felt good,” Miller said of his outing. “I’ve been playing catch a lot, as much as I can.”

Miller hadn’t experienced any problems but had a culture taken after developing a sore throat on April 17. The test came back positive for mono.

Miller, who admitted he tired against Hartford, leads the UMaine staff with a 4-2 record and a 3.53 ERA. He has pitched three complete games, recording 45 strikeouts in 43 innings.

“We definitely have our starting rotation back now. We have four solid pitchers,” Smith said.

UM’s Tannous to play for Canada

Daniel Tannous, an incoming freshman on the UMaine men’s soccer team, has been selected to play for the Canadian U-20 National Team, it was announced this week.

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound back from Thornhill, Ontario, will be on the roster Sunday when Canada plays a friendly match against six-time FIFA U-20 World Cup champion Argentina.

“The chance to impress the national team staff and play against a world-class opponent is a great opportunity for him,” UMaine coach Pat Laughlin said in a press release.

Tannous previously captained Canada’s U-17 team during World Cup qualifying and scored a game-winning goal in a game against host Jamaica.

UMaine announces captains

Seniors Jovan Belcher and Jhamal Fluellen, who were key cogs in the UMaine football machine as juniors last season, have been elected team captains for 2008.

Belcher, a defensive end, emerged as a dominating force in 2007, leading the Colonial Athletic Association in sacks and tackles for a loss. He was named a first-team All-CAA star and second-team All-American.

Fluellen, a tailback, was the Black Bears’ leading rusher last fall with 1,052 yards. He became the eighth player in school history to gain more than 1,000 yards in a season and was an All-CAA third-teamer.

“Both young men have outstanding leadership qualities and I’m excited for them to have a hand in leading the 2008 Black Bears,” said UMaine head coach Jack Cosgrove.

Black Bears hire football coaches

UMaine has hired Kevin Cahill as an assistant football coach, coach Cosgrove announced recently.

Cahill will serve as an assistant coach in charge of running backs. He replaces Michael Zyskowski, who left UMaine after last season to take a job at CAA competitor Old Dominion University, which is coached by former Bears quarterback and assistant coach Bob Wilder.

Cahill worked the last two seasons as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at Murray State, where he coached the wide receivers and assisted with the passing game. The Racers finished as the No. 1 offense in the Ohio Valley Conference last season.

Prior to Murray State, Cahill spent two seasons as the receivers coach at Tennessee-Martin (coached by former UMaine assistant Matt Griffin).

Cahill is a 2001 graduate of Springfield College with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He coached one season at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine and also worked two years at Springfield before earning a master’s degree in athletic administration in 2004.

UMaine also has welcomed in two other assistant coaches. Tom McEntire will work with the defense, while former Bears captain and defensive end Dennis Dottin-Carter will help coach the defense.

AE releases hoop tourney sites

The University at Albany and the University of Hartford have been selected by the conference’s directors of athletics as the sites for the 2009 America East basketball championships.

Albany will take its first shot at holding the America East Men’s Basketball Championship. The tournament will be played March 6-8 at 4,538-seat SEFCU Arena.

The nine-team event will include the first round, quarterfinals and semifinals, while the championship will be played March 14 on the home court of the higher remaining seed.

Defending champion Hartford will serve as the host of the America East women’s championship for the seventh time in the last eight years. The Hawks play in the 3,506-seat Chase Arena.

The event will begin March 12 and conclude March with the championship game.

Hartford has attracted more than 40,000 fans over the six years it has hosted the tourney.

pwarner@bangordailynews.net

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