GAINESVILLE, Florida — The Florida Gators took a four-run lead after four innings and went on to beat the Maine Black Bears 5-3 for a sweep of their three-game college baseball series Sunday at McKethan Stadium.
Buddy Reed and Richie Martin each notched RBI singles in the first and second innings for the Gators (14-2) and added two more in the fourth when Josh Tobias hit an RBI double and JJ Schwarz hit a sacrifice fly.
The Black Bears (4-12) rallied with a run in the fifth when Shane Bussey recorded an RBI infield single and then put two more runs on the board in the seventh when Brenden Geary blasted a solo homer to right and Brett Chappell added an RBI double.
The Gators added another run in the eighth on Mike Rivera’s RBI double down the left-field line.
Sophomore right-hander Dane Dunning (4-0) pitched five innings of four-hit baseball to pick up the win. He walked one and struck out three.
Maine junior right-hander Jake Marks (0-3) suffered the loss as he gave up eight hits, three walks and four runs while striking out two.
On Saturday, Florida left-handers A.J. Puk and Danny Young combined to hold the Black Bears to three hits to give the Gators a 6-1 victory.
Puk gave up two hits, a run and two walks while striking out six in 5 ⅔ innings before Young came on to finish, earning the save and allowing just one hit over the final 3 ⅓ innings while not walking a batter and striking out one.
Luke Morrill provided the only run for the Bears when he blasted a solo home run to right.
The Gators did most of their damage in the second with four runs, highlighted by Reed’s three-run double. Rivera added an RBI single in the third and the Gators scored again in the eighth on Christian Hicks’ infield groundout.
Alex Cabrera singled twice for the Black Bears.
Maine starter Scott Heath (2-1) suffered his first loss as the left-hander gave up five runs, eight hits and three walks in six innings. He struck out five. Right-hander Logan Fullmer finished the last two innings and he gave up a hit and a run and struck out two.
Softball
Maine improves to 8-8
At Clearwater, Florida, on Sunday, Maine improved its record to 8-8 with an 8-4 win over Georgetown and a 10-2 victory over Wagner.
Jessica Burk blasted a grand slam in Maine’s five-run fifth inning in the win over Wagner.
Felicia Lennon chipped in with a triple and two RBIs for the Black Bears while Rachel Harvey added a two-run double.
Freshman righthander Molly Flowers (2-2) earned the victory as she allowed two runs, three hits and a walk while striking out three in five innings.
Taylor Beeson hit a two-run homer for Wagner (4-6).
On Saturday, EmJ Fogel doubled twice and drove in two runs to propel Maine by Bowling Green 6-1 in the second of two games.
Penn edged the Black Bears 5-4 in eight innings in the first game.
Fogel sparked the Bears early with a two-run double in their three-run first inning. Burk chipped in with an RBI double and RBI single for the Black Bears. Lennon and Nikki Byron each added three singles to the 14-hit attack.
Freshman right-hander Annie Kennedy recorded her first career win for the Black Bears as she didn’t walk a batter while giving three hits, a run and striking out two in 3 ⅓ innings. Alexis Bogdanovich finished with 3 2/3 hitless innings, striking out three and not walking a batter
Marina Cobbs had an RBI single for Bowling Green (5-7).
In the first game, the Black Bears rallied from a 3-1 deficit to tie it when Erika Leonard cranked a homer in the fifth and Janelle Bouchard added a solo shot in the sixth.
After a scoreless seventh, Maine took the lead in the top of the eighth when Nikki Byron’s sacrifice fly plated Rachel Harvey.
Penn responded with Leah Allen’s single that scored two unearned runs following an outfield error.
Fogel sparked Maine with a double, single and RBI. Flowers gave up three runs and four hits in 3 ⅔ innings before giving way to sophomore left-hander Erin Bogdanovich, who suffered the loss despite allowing just the hit in the eighth. She didn’t walk a batter and struck out two.
Sydney Turchin finished with a hit and two RBIs for Penn (1-3).
Men’s Basketball
Fitchburg St. 107, Husson 99 (OT)
At Newman Gym in Bangor, Fitchburg State outscored Husson 16-9 in overtime to beat the Eagles in an ECAC New England Championship semifinal Saturday.
Husson’s Aaron Willis tied the game at 91 with a layup at the buzzer in regulation.
Anthony Muccioli finished with 20 points to lead Fitchburg State (16-12), which rattled off seven unanswered points to start overtime.
Raheem Anderson finished with 33 points to lead Husson and Willis added 21. Trevon Butler put in 19 points and had six rebounds and six assists. Husson finished at 20-8.
Men’s Lacrosse
Rivier 19, UM-Farmington 1
At Nashua, New Hampshire, Kevin Dembkoski recorded three goals to lead Rivier (4-0) by the University of Maine-Farmington (0-1).
Cameron McAllister scored for UMF with 8:25 left in the game and Joseph Maldonado had eight saves.
Southern Maine 11, Husson 3
At Bangor on Saturday, Austin Watts and Seth Wing scored three goals apiece to lead the University of Southern Maine by the Eagles in a mutual opener.
USM outshot Husson 42-16 with USM’s Zach Bessett making seven saves and Husson’s Tom Lepage finishing with 18.
Brandon Corbo recorded two goals for Husson and Brett Martin had one.
Lasell 22, UMF 1
At Auburndale, Massachusetts, on Sunday, 14 different players scored a goal to help Lasell roll by the University of Maine-Farmington.
Evan Doherty paced Lasell (1-1) with three goals and Cameron McAllister scored for UMF (0-2).
Women’s Lacrosse
Colby 16, Husson 0
At Waterville on Sunday, Colby’s Kendall Smith scored her first collegiate goal and finished with three and added an assist in the win over Husson. Sasha Fritts, who got a late start after playing women’s hockey, scored three times in her collegiate debut. Senior midfielder Sara Miller also scored three goals, while Cassie Rodgers had three assists.
The Mules are 2-1 and the Eagles of Bangor are 0-2.
Colby goalies Claire Dickson, Sarah Evans, and Sam Burch all played about 20 minutes to share the shutout. Kaitlin Dolloff made 10 saves in goal for Husson.