EAST HARTFORD, CONN. – Former Skowhegan High School batterymates Garrett Quinn and Kregg Jarvais had a memorable Easter weekend.

As a result, the University of Maine’s baseball team is off to a 5-1 start in America East play.

Senior righthander Quinn pitched his first career shutout in the opener, a five-hitter, and sophomore catcher-designated hitter Jarvais went 4-for-8 including a three-run homer and four runs batted in as Maine swept Hartford 6-0 and 6-3 on Saturday.

Quinn struck out six and didn’t walk a batter in winning his seventh straight decision dating back to last season. He is 5-0 this spring, the best Bears’ mark to start a season since Larry Thomas went 5-0 over the entire1990 campaign.

Maine, which played errorless ball, is 10-13 overall and this is the first time since 1991 that Maine has had 10 wins before April. Hartford fell to 4-7, 1-3.

“Garrett had some of the best stuff he’s had all year,” said Jarvais, who caught the opener. “I didn’t have to move my glove at all. He got really tough in certain situations.”

“I had great control and my fastball had great movement,” said Quinn, who induced 10 ground ball outs. “I was able to set up my slider pretty well. I only had to go to my change-up four or five times all day. My slider was a big out pitch for me. This was one of my best games of the year along with the Virginia Tech game [a 9-2 win on March 8].”

Quinn has now tied another Skowhegan graduate, Mike LeBlanc, for most career appearances with 69.

“Garrett kept his fastball low and when he does, it runs a lot. It’s really effective,” said Jarvais.

The Bears gave Quinn the only run he was to need in the third inning when singles by Bryan Harvie and Jeff Longo were followed by a run-producing fielder’s choice by T.J. Sheedy.

Maine put the game out of reach with five runs in the fifth inning on Tony Bianchi’s two-run single and Jarvais’ three-run homer to left.

“There were guys on first and third and I was just trying to get the ball to the outfield to score a run,” said Jarvais. “He [loser Jeff Joyce] tried to hit the outside corner with a fastball but he left it out over the plate and I was able to extend [my arms].”

Sheedy, Longo, Bianchi, Harvie and Jarvais each had two hits for Maine.

In the nightcap, senior righty Dave Foran pitched a six-hit complete game; Jay Phillips drove in three runs and Rex Turner belted a two-run homer to key the victory.

Foran struck out eight and walked one.

“He pitched a great game,” said Quinn. “He had his curve going and it had them off-balance all day.”

Jarvais’ RBI single and Phillips’ run-producing fielder’s choice staked Foran to a 2-0 lead in the fourth and Maine got four more in the fifth to make it 6-1 on Turner’s sixth homer of the season and Phillips’ two-run single.

Longo, Turner, Bianchi and Jarvais had two hits each for Maine.

Black Bears 6, Hawks 0

(First Game)

Maine Hartford

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Phillips, cf 4 0 0 0 Asaro, cf 3 0 1 0

Longo, 1b 4 1 2 0 Deshefy, rf 3 0 0 0

Sheedy, 3b 3 1 2 1 Snyder, 3b 3 0 1 0

Caiazzo, dh 3 1 0 0 Riccio, 1b 3 0 0 0

Turner, lf 3 0 0 0 Biskupiak, lf 3 0 0 0

Bianchi, rf 4 1 2 2 Sweeney, ss 3 0 1 0

Jarvais, c 4 1 2 3 Edge, c 2 0 1 0

Croteau, 2b 2 0 1 0 Rand, dh 3 0 0 0

Halsted, 2b 1 0 0 0 Olivo, 2b 2 0 1 0

Harvie, ss 4 1 2 0

Totals 32 6 11 6 Totals 25 0 5 0

Maine 001 050 0 – 6

Hartford 000 000 0 – 0

E – Snyder, Sweeney HR – Jarvais LOB – Maine 9; Hartford 5 DP – Harvey-Halsted-Longo; Deshefy-Riccio SB – Sheedy 2, Asaro; Croteau

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Maine

Quinn (W, 5-0) 7 5 0 0 0 6

Hartford

Joyce (L, 2-2) 5 9 6 1 3 2

Handfield 2 2 0 0 1 1

HBP – Edge by Quinn WP – Quinn TIME – 2:00 ATTENDANCE – 150

Black Bears 6, Hawks 3

(Second Game)

Maine (10-13) Hartford (4-7)

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Sheedy, 3b 3 1 0 0 Asaro, cf 4 0 1 0

Longo, 1b 4 0 2 0 Deshefy, rf 3 1 1 0

Caiazzo, c 4 0 0 0 Snyder, 3b 3 0 0 0

Turner, lf 4 2 2 2 Riccio, 1b 3 0 1 0

Bianchi, rf 3 2 2 0 Biskupiak, lf 1 1 1 1

Jarvais, dh 4 1 2 1 Sweeney, ss 2 1 1 0

Phillips, cf 2 0 1 3 Edge, c 2 0 0 0

Halsted, 2b 4 0 1 0 Rand, dh 3 0 0 0

Harvie, ss 3 0 0 0 Olivo, 2b 3 0 1 2

Foran, p 0 0 0 0

Totals 31 6 10 6 Totals 24 3 6 3

Maine 000 240 0 – 6

Hartford 000 100 2 – 3

E – M. Asaro 2B – Halsted, Olivo HR – R. Turner LOB – Maine 8, Hartford 4 SB – Biskupiak, Asaro SF – Sweeney, Biskupiak

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Maine

Foran (W,2-2) 7 6 3 3 1 8

Hartford

Nord (L, 0-2) 3 1/3 4 2 2 2 3

Pinney 1 2/3 4 4 4 1 1

Martin 2 2 0 0 1 1

HBP – Biskupiak by Foran WP – Nord 2 TIME – 2:13 ATTENDANCE – 150

Softball

Black Bears earn sweep

At Towson, Md., the University of Maine softball team took two games from Towson State over the weekend. The Black Bears notched a 14-5 win in the first game of the day and in game two overpowered the Tigers 15-2.

Sarah Jewett blasted a home run and ripped two doubles to power Maine to the win in game two and finish off the weekend sweep of the Tigers.

Michele Puls plated four runs on three singles as Melissa Creegan rapped a double and two singles for the winners.

Katy Greer had an RBI-single to pace Towson State.

In game one, Jewett and Shelly Lefevre each drove in three runs to help the Black Bears post the victory.

Puls ripped a triple and two singles for Maine. Pitcher Jen Burton did not allow a run and gave up one hit to pick up her eighth win of the season.

Nikki Wisniewski knocked out a two-run home run to lead the Tigers.

(First Game) Maine (15-13) 304 07 – 14 15 0 Towson State (4-1) 000 50 – 5 7 2

Burton, Sawyer (4) and Jewett; Wisniewski, Rumill (5) and Pina

(Second Game) Maine (16-13) 441 60 – 15 16 1 Towson State (4-2) 000 20 – 2 4 3

Brenner and Harrington; Wisniewski and Striano

Lacrosse

Norwich 12, MMA 11

At Castine, Norwich University got three goals from four different players to edge Maine Maritime Academy in overtime.

Scott McCarthy, Ross Rupich, Phil Soto, and Chris Hopf each tallied three times for the winners. Goalie Charlie Axtell stopped 23 shots.

Jerrod Pratt netted nine goals to lead Maine Maritime Academy. Sean Gallnan and Josh Vince chipped in a goal apiece. Randall Bish made 20 saves.