Last year, the University of Maine baseball team had to postpone their opening games due to snow on the field.
Sunday, the Black Bears were able to open their season on time as they played host to the University at Albany Great Danes for a double-header. UMaine took down the Great Danes 4-3 in the first game before dropping the second one 9-5.
Black Bears top Albany
Albany came out swinging the bats in the first inning, scoring twice off of UMaine third-year starting pitcher Jake Marks. Albany’s third-year leadoff hitter Will Miller got aboard with a walk, and then third-year shortstop Trevor DeMerritt hit a single up the middle. With two men on for the Great Danes’ third-year clean up hitter Matt Hinchey, stepped up and ripped one to left field for a long single scoring two runs.
Maine got to Albany’s third-year starting pitcher Brendan Ryan in the second inning when they scored a run thanks to the clever base running by third-year first baseman Brenden Geary.
Geary got on with a walk and then reached second off a single. With two men on, third-year catcher Kevin Stypulkowski was at the plate and fooled Albany by showing bunt and then pulling back, drawing in all the infielders including the Great Danes third baseman Adam Mund. Geary realized the over commitment by Mund and took third base. The very next pitch Stypulkowski hit a deep fly out to center field, scoring Geary on a sacrifice fly and cutting the lead to 2-1.
Despite the rough start for Marks, he settled down and held the Great Danes scoreless the next three and a third innings pitched.
UMaine head coach Steve Trimper decided to go with the first-year flamethrower Justin Courtney when two men reached base in the fifth inning. Courtney came in and quickly ousted both Albany hitters he faced, getting the Black Bears out of a jam. He went on to pitch the next three innings, allowing just one run and keeping the Great Danes in check.
Third-year Albany reliever, Terry Dugdale replaced Ryan after six solid innings and struggled. Maine fourth-year centerfielder Sam Balzano hit a line drive single to right, starting off a three-run seventh inning rally. Next up was third-year shortstop Shane Bussey, who hit a slow bouncer to Albany’s second baseman, who bobbled it and was charged with an error allowing both runners to make it on safely. Fourth-year UMaine captain Scott Heath stepped up at the perfect time, tying the game by hitting an RBI single to right, scoring Balzano and advancing Bussey to third. An RBI double and sacrifice fly later, the Black Bears had a 4-2 advantage. The Great Danes tacked on a run in the eighth when first-year Shawn Blake scored on a fielder’s choice to cut the lead to one, but that was as close as Albany would get.
Maine third-year closing pitcher Charlie Butler came in and sealed the deal in the ninth inning for the Black Bears. He made quick work of the Great Danes, only having to face three batters.
Black Bears fall in extras
The Maine Black Bears gave the nod to second-year Jeff Gelinas. Albany came out again swinging hot bats just like they did in the first game of the doubleheader. Gelinas struggled, allowing five runs on six hits in just 2.2 innings pitched, digging Maine a deep hole early. Fortunately for Gelinas, the Black Bear bullpen and bats had his back.
Albany second-year shortstop Trevor DeMerritt started off the two out, first inning hit parade by singling to right field with no one on base. DeMerritt’s single was followed by another single by Hinchey. Then came back-to-back doubles for the Great Danes from first-year Shawn Blake and Eric Mueller, giving Albany a 3-0 lead after the top frame.
Second-year Stephen Woods was the starting pitcher for Albany and struggled to find the strike zone early. He walked three batters in which two of them were walked on four pitches. The Black Bears couldn’t capitalize on his inability to find the strike zone, allowing Woods to sneak away with just one earned run despite the three walks. Maine’s lone run of the inning was by Balzano on an RBI ground out by Geary.
Maine brought in third-year reliever Logan Fullmer in the third inning and he pitched a gem. Fullmer kept the Black Bears in the contest the entire game, as he went 5.1 shutout innings and allowing just one hit and zero walks. Fullmer was mixing up pitches beautifully, keeping hitters off balanced and constantly guessing.
Maine was down 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth and the bats finally woke up. Third-year Black Bears shortstop Shane Bussey got on with a leadoff walk that was then followed up by Heath rocketing a two run shot to right field. This forced Albany to go to their bullpen and take out Woods. A new pitcher would not slow down the Maine offense. Stypulkowski was walked and then batted in by a double to the right-center field gap by first-year Chris Garabedian. The Black Bears ended the fifth inning down by just one run at 5-4.
As Fullmer continued to work his magic, Maine kept producing at the plate for him. In the sixth inning with two outs, Chappell and Geary got on base with back to back walks for Kevin Stypulkowski, who smacked one to right field for a game-tying RBI double.
Maine brought in closing pitcher Charlie Butler in the ninth inning as Fullmer was getting tired. There was no offense the first couple of extra innings — no one could seem to find a way on base.
Maine found life in the bottom of the ninth with fourth-year Garabedian singling to left field and fourth-year Brian Doran lining one up the middle for a single. First-year Bobby Brennan hit a hard ground ball to the second baseman for a routine double play.
The 10th inning was rough for Maine and their closing pitcher Charlie Butler.
Albany went off in the 10th inning, tallying four runs and putting the game out of reach at 9-5. Maine was held scoreless in the latter half of the inning, and ended up splitting the double header with the Albany Great Danes.