Baseball
MAINE vs. UMASS LOWELL
Time, site: Saturday (2), noon, Sunday, 1 p.m.; LeLacheur Park, Lowell, Mass.
Records: Maine 10-19 (1-5 America East); UMass Lowell 10-10 (3-2)
Series, last meeting: 1st meeting
Key players: Maine — 2B Troy Black (.361, 15 runs batted in, 9 stolen bases), CF Colin Gay (.333, 15 RBI), LF Sam Balzano (.303, 7 RBI, 6 SB), RF Brian Doran (.302, 11 RBI), 3B Alex Calbick (.240, 1 home run, 14 RBI); UML — 3B Matthew Sanchez (.325, 13 RBI, 6 SB), SS Danny Mendick (1 HR, 15 RBI), 1B-RF Jimmy Ricoy (.264, 12 RBI), DH-1B Matt Mottola (.436, 1 HR, 5 RBI)
Pitching matchups: Maine — RH Tommy Lawrence (2-4, 4.78 earned run average, 47 strikeouts), RH Shaun Coughlin (2-3, 3.41, 20), RH Jeff Gelinas (1-2, 3.13, 17); UML — RH Shane Beachemin (2-1, 4.97, 20), RH Mike Calzetta (2-1, 2.97, 22), RH Christian Lavoie (0-1, 4.15, 13)
Coach Steve Trimper’s keys to the series: “We need to execute the small things — get a bunt down, hit-and-run and most importantly make routine defensive plays. We had a very good week of practice, so we need to apply that to get on track in conference play.”
Game notes: The Black Bears find themselves looking up from the bottom of the AE standings, having lost five straight league games. UMaine has pitched well of late, but batted only .162 in the Hartford series. The River Hawks, in their first year of AE play, are not eligible for the postseason. However, UML owns two wins over defending champ Binghamton. Junior 1B/P Scott Heath is questionable with a foot injury. The series marks the home openers for UML at the facility where the AE tournament will be played for the second year in a row.