The University of Maine baseball team showcased its ability to play from behind in their doubleheader against Binghamton University on Sunday at Mahaney Diamond. The Black Bears swept the shortened weekend series against the Bearcats with a 5-2 victory in seven innings in game one and then came from behind again to grab a 3-2 win in game two.
Binghamton grabbed 2-0 advantages in the early stages of both contests, but UMaine produced a five-run inning in game one and a three-run inning in game two to rally back and grab two big conference games.
“Today’s name of the game was two out RBIs,” said UMaine head coach Steve Trimper. “Both teams played very well, it’s just that we got a couple of big hits and big innings.”
The Black Bears offense came alive late in game one to aid another strong pitching performance by junior starter Tommy Lawrence.
Lawrence got off to a rough start by giving up a leadoff triple to Bearcats sophomore centerfielder Zach Blanden and then allowed a four-pitch walk to junior shortstop John Howell. Binghamton would capitalize on Lawrence’s early struggles when sophomore left fielder Jake Thomas picked up an RBI single to right to make it 1-0 Bearcats.
Binghamton put the pressure on again in the third as junior right fielder Shaun McGraw dribbled an infield single down the third base line and advanced to second on a throwing error to lead things off. After a sacrifice moved McGraw to third, Blanden stepped in and ripped an RBI single to center to put the Bearcats up 2-0.
Lawrence finally settled in after the two rough innings, but Binghamton would take control for much of the contest from there behind senior starting pitcher Jake Lambert.
Trimper was unconcerned during the right hander’s early troubles, knowing his capabilities regardless of the score.
“Tommy’s got that bull dog mentality,” Trimper said. “He’s a gamer and he may give up a run or two, but he isn’t going to let it get to him and that’s really contagious.”
The Bearcats’ right hander worked quickly, which helped throw the UMaine bats out of sync for much of the contest. Lambert allowed five hits through the first five innings, with only two getting out of the infield.
It looked as though Lambert was only getting stronger after completing the fifth inning by throwing only five pitches, but the Black Bears finally broke through in the home half of the sixth.
“It just started with one spark where we get one on and we score that run, and then guys just start to pile it on,” said senior shortstop Mike Fransoso. “Nobody got down because we knew we could get back in it, and we had everybody really into the game.”
Fransoso was that spark for UMaine when he led off the sixth with a rip to deep center, but was only held to a single after stumbling while rounding first base. The miscue proved to be helpful for the Black Bears, as Fransoso moved to third after two sacrifices and scored on a pass ball to put UMaine within a run at 2-1.
“I lost my footing there and luckily I got back to first and eventually found my way home,” Fransoso said.
The Black Bears were just getting started in the sixth, as they picked up consecutive singles from sophomore designated hitter Scott Heath and junior third baseman Eric White to put men on first and third. Junior catcher Mike Connolly stepped in and dropped a single into shallow left to score sophomore Nick Bernardo from third and tie the game 2-2.
UMaine grabbed the lead one batter later when junior second baseman Troy Black hit an RBI single off the glove of the first baseman. After Lambert was lifted from the game, junior center fielder Colin Gay added some insurance with a two-run double to extend the lead to 5-2.
“It was just like bashing our head against the wall and we eventually broke through,” Black said. “We knew that we just had to stay up and conscious when we got up there so we could find any way to get on.”
All five of the Black Bears’ runs were charged to Lambert and came with two outs in the inning.
Lawrence came through with a clean seventh to grab his fifth victory of the season. The Black Bears’ right hander allowed just the two runs — one earned — on seven hits and struck out seven in his seven inning complete game effort.
“I’m always up in the first inning with my fastball, but I was able to settle in and work down,” Lawrence said. “I tried to spot the fastball and they got some pretty good swings, but I started working down with the breaking ball and it got me out of jams.”
UMaine was paced by three hits and a run scored from Fransoso, with Gay providing two RBI’swhile Connolly and Black each chipped in an RBI.
Blanden led the way for the Bearcats with a triple and two singles, while McGraw and Thomas each added two hits.
The Black Bears fell behind early again in game two as Thomas smashed a two-run home run to right field to give the Bearcats another 2-0 lead. UMaine senior starter AJ Bazdanes hung a breaking ball to left-handed hitting Thomas, who jumped all over the pitch and took it deep.
“You make that kind of mistake and stuff happens,” Bazdanes said. “Besides that, our defense came up big and if it wasn’t for eight or nine plays they made then this would’ve been a different game.”
The Black Bears would come to their pitchers aid in the fourth when sophomore right fielder Brian Doran picked up an RBI single to cut the lead in half. After a sacrifice and a Connolly double, Black dropped a double down the left field line to score both Doran and Connolly and put the Black Bears up 3-2.
Bazdanes, like Lawrence the game prior, found his bearings after the first inning hiccup and was flawless from that point on. The right hander cruised through seven innings, allowing just five hits and the two first inning runs, while striking out five.
“We are used to one run ball games,” Bazdanes said. “We plan on getting ahead, and I want to keep us ahead and put zeros on the board.”
Bazdanes also did not allow a walk, which was the most encouraging stat in Trimper’s opinion.
“Most of his career and even the beginning of this season, he has been a walks guy and that’s where the earned runs have come from,” Trimper said. “Back to the last three performances, he has only a few walks and had a six-to-one ratio, which has helped tremendously.”
Connolly came on to relieve Bazdanes and stymied the Bearcats, needing just seven pitches to retire the side in the eighth and nine to do so in the ninth. The quick work gave Connolly the two inning save and helped preserve the 3-2 victory for the Black Bears.
Black and sophomore center fielder Sam Balzano had two hits apiece in game two for UMaine, while Doran and junior Alex Calbick each added a double.
Binghamton was led in game two by Thomas’s home run and single, with Blanden and Howell each contributing a single.
Next up for the Black Bears (17-14) is a non-conference tilt with Thomas College on Tuesday, April 9, at 5 p.m. at Mahaney Diamond. UMaine returns to America East play when they travel to Baltimore for a three-game set against University of Maryland Baltimore County on April 13 and 14.