Baseball
MAINE vs. ALBANY
Time, site: Saturday (2), 3 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.; Mahaney Diamond, Orono
Records: Maine 19-25 (6-9 America East), Albany 9-30 (4-14)
Series, last meeting: Maine leads 32-26, Maine 7-3 on 5/5/13
Key players: Maine — SS Troy Black (.322, 1 home run, 20 runs batted in, 13 stolen bases), 1B Scott Heath (.322-1-11), RF Brian Doran (.313-0-16), CF Colin Gay (.307-0-19, 7 SB), 2B Alex Calbick (.288-3-22); Albany — 2B Brian Bullard (.323-1-14, 13 SB), DH Evan Harasta (.315-2-24), CF D.J. Hoagboon (.292-2-9), 1B Joe Nethaway (.266-5-30)
Pitching matchups: Maine — RH Tommy Lawrence (6-4, 3.31 earned run average, 84 strikeouts), RH Jeff Gelinas (3-3, 2.86, 31), LH Scott Heath (2-2, 5.30, 29); Albany — LH Kevin Archbold (2-3, 2.45, 48), RH Ryan Stinar (1-2, 5.96, 18), LH Brendan Ryan (1-2, 3.69, 15)
Coach Steve Trimper’s keys to the series: “We just have to get the runs in from third base. Our team has done a great job of defense and pitching over the last few weeks. We just haven’t produced the runs.”
Game notes: Despite their lingering offensive struggles, the Black Bears are hoping to secure a conference postseason this weekend against the Great Danes. It’s graduation day for UMaine, which has lost two straight and five of its last six Division I contests. Albany has dropped three of four and has lost nine consecutive league games. In AE play, the Great Danes rank last in ERA (6.88) and fielding (.955; 28 errors in 18 games).