Baseball
MAINE vs. BINGHAMTON
Time, site: 1 p.m. Saturday (2), 1 p.m. Sunday; Mahaney Diamond, Orono
Records: Maine 5-15 (0-0 America East), Binghamton 4-14 (0-0)
Series, last meeting: Maine leads 32-24, Maine 9-0 on 5/9/15
Key players: Maine — 3B Danny Casals (.303, 1 home run, 5 runs batted in, 5 stolen bases), CF Brett Chappell (.289-2-11-4), LF Colin Ridley (.288-2-11), RF Tyler Schwanz (.276-3-13), C Kevin Stypulkoski (.267-0-5); Binghamton — LF Eddie Posavec (.317-0-8), 3B David Schanz (.310-0-10), C Jason Agresti (.295-0-7), 1B Brendan Skidmore (.288-3-11)
Pitching matchups: Maine — RH Jonah Normandeau (0-1, 3.66 earned run average), RH Justin Courtney (1-1, 1.44), RH John Arel (0-3, 5.04); Binghamton — RH Rob Hardy (0-2, 6.35), RH Jake Cryts (0-3, 7.04), RH Mike Bunal (0-3. 7.43)
Game notes: The Black Bears hope to build on lessons learned during a rigorous early-season schedule as they open conference play against the Bearcats. UMaine crews cleared the snow off the diamond earlier in the week and Friday’s icy coating was expected to melt off by Saturday afternoon. UMaine has lost three straight and seven of its lost eight, including Sunday’s 4-2 setback against Dartmouth in Florida. The Bears head into the series batting a paltry .239 and are averaging only 3.8 runs per game. Binghamton has won two of three after a six-game skid, most recently beating Bucknell 14-2 on Tuesday in its home opener. The Bearcats are hitting .278 (5.6 rpg), but have struggled on the mound. Binghamton has a bloated team ERA of 7.37 while allowing opponents to bat a combined .321.