ORONO – Dave Foran had waited for this opportunity for a whole week. Finally, he made his first collegiate start here Tuesday.

The freshman righthander pitched six strong innings to lead the University of Maine to a 7-1 baseball victory over Husson College of Bangor at Mahaney Diamond.

Maine improved to 18-29 and Husson slipped to 21-7. The two teams meet here again Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Foran, an imposing 6-foot-2, 200-pounder, spread out five hits. He struck out five, walked one and hit a batter, throwing 70 pitches. Foran was relieved to get the initial start under his belt.

“Last week I was supposed to get two starts and they both got rained out, so it was more anxiety that anything,” said Foran, who has been used as a closer and setup man this season. “I’ve always wanted to be a starter again sometime. I didn’t think it would be this soon, but I’m happy.”

Foran, who is expected to join Maine’s starting rotation this weekend against Drexel, set up his nasty overhand curveball with his fastball. He also mixed in a good changeup, which he added to his repertoire for the start.

“The big thing was my changeup and, of course, there was the endurance,” Foran said. “I went from throwing two innings at the most to throwing six innings, so that’s a big plus for me. I accomplished a lot today.”

Maine coach John Winkin hopes the performance will have Foran prepared to become a starter against predominately righthanded-hitting lineups.

“That was good experience for him,” Winkin said. “We’re trying to get him ready to start and we’ll probably start him Sunday. It gives him a chance to get accustomed to starting. I was pleased.”

Husson did threaten, getting a runners to second four times against Foran. He responded by throwing strikes and allowing his defense to work behind him. Center fielder Mat Huff threw out a runner at the plate to end the first inning, while the infield turned an inning-ending double play in the second.

If the Bears had hoped to use Husson as a means of breaking out of its recent offensive doldrums, it will have to wait until Wednesday. The Braves outhit Maine 8-7.

Maine scored five runs in the first inning, taking advantage of Jamie Pete’s control troubles and two Husson errors.

Huff beat out an infield hit and took second on a throwing error. After Shiro Ando walked, the pair worked a double steal and Steve Puleo walked to load the bases.

Nick Caiazzo knocked in two runs with a single to center, Jeff Longo beat out a bunt single, and two runs scored on a Tony Bianchi fielder’s choice grounder that was misplayed for an error. Bianchi scored on Matt Trahan’s groundout.

The Bears added two runs in the second on singles by Huff and Ando, and Puleo’s two-run single back through the box.

Maine played errorless baseball.

Husson scored its only run in the eighth against reliever Ryan Smith. Sandy McCuaig chopped an infield single, stole second, took third on Troy Martin’s infield hit, and scored on Bill Swift’s bouncer to the mound.

Huff had two of Maine’s seven hits, while McCuaig singled twice for the Braves, who got a double from Lance Bean.

Mike Kirby and Mark Hreben combined to shut out the Bears over the last five innings as the hosts managed only a bloop single to right by Dan Catlin in the eighth.

Black Bears 7, Braves 1

Husson Maine

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

McCuaig, cf 3 1 2 0 Huff, cf 3 2 2 0

Novak, 2b 4 0 0 0 Coombs, cf-lf 2 0 0 0

Martin, lf 4 0 2 0 Ando, ss 4 2 1 0

Swift, 1b 4 0 1 1 Puleo, c 2 1 1 2

McBride, rf 3 0 0 0 Ellis, c 0 0 0 0

Eastman, ss 4 0 2 0 Caiazzo, rf 4 1 1 2

Bean, c 4 0 1 0 Longo, lf-1b 2 0 1 0

Fogg, dh 4 0 0 0 Bianchi, dh 3 1 0 1

Dumont, 3b 2 0 0 0 Thibodeau, ph 0 0 0 0

Boure, ph 1 0 0 0 Trahan, 3b 2 0 0 1

McCarty, 3b 0 0 0 0 Gladu, 3b 1 0 0 0

Jolliffe, 1b 3 0 0 0

Polizzotti, cf 1 0 0 0

Catlin, 2b 4 0 1 0

Bowden, 2b 0 0 0 0

Totals 33 1 8 1 Totals 31 7 7 6

Husson 000 000 010 – 1

Maine 520 000 00x – 7

E – Eastman 2, Dumont, Novak 2B – Bean LOB – Husson 7, Maine 7 DP – Foran to Ando to Jolliffe, Huff to Jolliffe,

Eastman to Novak to Swift SB – Huff 2, Ando 2, NcCuaig S – Trahan

Pitching Summary

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO

Husson

Pete (L, 6-2) 3 6 7 6 3 1

Kirby 3 0 0 0 1 1

Hreben 2 1 0 0 1 0

Maine

Foran (W, 1-1) 6 5 0 0 1 5

Smith 2 3 1 1 0 2

Quinn 1 0 0 0 0 1

HBP – McCuaig (by Foran), Longo (by Kirby) WP – Hreben; Foran PB – Bean TIME – 2:20; ATT – 239