BASEBALL

MAINE vs. HARTFORD

Time, site: Saturday (2), Sunday (2), noon; Mahaney Diamond, Orono

Records: Maine 27-12 (8-4 America East); Hartford 12-23 (4-8)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 38-12; teams split on April 8, 2001

Top hitters – Hartford: SS Matt Denorfia (.347, 2 HR, 24 RBI), 3B Ron Acabbo (.336, 3 HR, 30 RBI), RF Cory Parker (.317, 3 HR, 20 RBI), 1B Ryan Cuscovitch (.317, 2 HR, 24 RBI), DH Maricha Marichal (.314, 16 RBIs, 13 SB); Maine: C Alain Picard (.402, 5 HR, 42 RBI), LF Simon Williams (.384, 7 HR, 33 RBI, 17 SB), 3B Joe Drapeau (.359, 8 HR, 45 RBI), CF Mike Livulpi (.328, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 12 SB), 2B Brett Ouellette (.291, 20 RBI), SS Mark Reichley (.340, 1 HR, 16 RBI)

Hartford Hawks Maine Black Bears

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

RH Jarrett Stawarz 7.22 2-6 29 RH Mike Collar 3.57 5-2 43

RH Scott Roy 4.07 4-4 42 RH Mike MacDonald 4.60 4-2 39

RH Jeff Swedberg 6.15 1-4 20 LH Rich Laganiere 6.37 5-3 35

LH Brian Mascaro 7.01 1-3 15 RH Scott Robinson 4.15 3-0 24

Outlook: The Bears hope to take the first step toward clinching a postseason berth with a good showing against the struggling Hawks. UMaine has won five of its last six, while Hartford has dropped eight of its last 10. The Bears lead the league in hitting at .328, but want to increase their production with the arrival of warmer weather. The Hawks are batting .297, but rank last in pitching with a 7.65 ERA.

SOFTBALL

MAINE vs. BINGHAMTON

Time, site: Saturday (2), Sunday (2), 11 a.m.; Kessock Field, Orono

Records: Maine 23-28 (10-10 America East), Binghamton 22-21 (10-10)

Top hitters – Binghamton: SS Jessica Chellis (.319, 5 HR, 25), P-DH Margaret Yerdon (.288, 0 HR, 13 RBI), 3B Jennifer Richardson (.272, 3 HR, 17 RBI), RF Leigh Ann Savidge (.252, 0 HR, 7 RBI), LF Melissa Lavin (.294, 0 HR, 7 RBI); Maine: 3B Leigh Ann Hlywak (.329, 11 HR, 33 RBI), SS Erica Sobel (.305, 2 HR, 24 RBI), CF Jess Brady (.277, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 8 SB), P Jennifer Merchant (.236, 0 HR, 12 RBI), 1B Katherine Churchill (.225, 0 HR, 4 RBI)

Binghamton Bearcats Maine Black Bears

ERA W-L Ks ERA W-L Ks

RH Margaret Yerdon 1.42 8-10 106 RH Jenna Merchant 1.41 17-10 140

RH Mary Wheat 2.14 10-10 95 RH Candace Jaegge 2.10 6-16 78

Outlook: The formula is simple for the Black Bears to extend their season: Win two out of four games and they qualify for the America East postseason tournament. Do less than that? They’ll need plenty of help. Merchant has emerged as the ace of the Maine staff, while Jaegge has been a hard-luck loser of late. Jaegge threw in the bullpen during much of Wednesday’s game against Colby to work out some mechanical flaws. Merchant has a sore foot and elbow, but pitched four hitless innings on Wednesday and hasn’t allowed a run over her last three outings. The Bears must put runners on base in front of Hlywak and Sobel.