Baseball
MAINE vs. MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY
Time, site: 1 p.m. Saturday (2), 1 p.m. Sunday; Mahaney Diamond, Orono
Records: Maine 8-22 (0-5 America East), UMBC 15-14 (5-3)
Series, last meeting: Maine leads 40-10, UMBC 9-5 on 5/21/15
Key players: Maine — 3B Danny Casals (.336, 2 home runs, 8 runs batted in, 10 stolen bases), LF Colin Ridley (.310-4-20), C Kevin Stypulkowski (.269-2-11), RF Tyler Schwanz (.264-3-14), CF Brett Chappell (.243-2-13); UMBC — SS Kevin Lachance (.405-4-19-19), 1B Anthony Gatto (.340-2-12), C Hunter Dolshun (.320-4-21), DH Jamie Switalski (.310-3-27)
Pitching matchups: Maine — RH Justin Courtney (2-4, 3.56 earned run average, 29 strikeouts), RH Logan Fullmer (1-1, 1.19, 43 K), RH Chris Murphy (0-2, 7.85, 22 K); UMBC — Riley Stephenson (2-3, 5.64, 22 K ), Jacob Christian (2-1, 4.44, 18 K), Conrad Wozniak (4-2, 3.27, 31 K)
Game notes: The Black Bears look to build on a three-game winning streak in search of their first America East victories of the season. UMaine remains mired in last place, while the Retrievers are a half-game behind second-place Stony Brook. UMaine’s pitching staff (5.04 ERA) must hold in check a UMBC offense that boasts a league-best .292 batting average and is scoring 5.6 runs per contest. Lachance is AE’s top hitter by 48 points and leads the conference in runs scored (34), hits (47), total bases (68) and stolen bases (19 in 22 attempts). The Retrievers also strike out less than their league counterparts. UMaine has received solid contributions of late from its first-year players, but needs more production from the upperclassmen.
Softball
MAINE vs. BINGHAMTON
Time, site: noon Saturday (2), 11 a.m. Sunday, Kessock Field, Orono
Records: Maine 15-14 (4-1 America East); Binghamton 20-10 (6-0)
Series, last meeting: Binghamton 8-0 (6 inns.) on May 8, 2015
Key players: Maine — C Janelle Bouchard (.396, 2 homers, 24 runs batted in), LF/C Rachel Harvey (.369-2-13), 3B Maddie Decker (.352-2-15), CF Rachel Carlson (.326-0-12), DH/Utility Alyssa Derrick (.323-7-29), OF Erika Leonard (.315-0-10, 15 stolen bases), SS Felicia Lennon (.271-2-18); Binghamton — C Taylor Chaffee (.423-3-17), CF Jessica Rutherford (.416-3-29), RF Sydney Harbaugh (.392-4-27, 11 stolen bases), 3B Kate Richard (.383-6-21), LF Gabby Bracchi (.375-0-16, 16 stolen bases), SS Crysti Eichner (.362-3-28), DH Griffin McIver (.361-7-22)
Pitching matchups: Maine — RH Molly Flowers (8-7, 2.57 earned run average, 91 strikeouts in 68 innings), RH Annie Kennedy (4-3, 2.69), LH Erin Bogdanovich (3-4, 4.68); Binghamton — RH Sarah Miller (11-5, 2.81), RH Cara Martin (5-2, 3.02)
Game notes: The Bearcats, the defending America East champions, return their top seven hitters and pitchers Miller and Martin. Binghamton had a 12-game winning streak snapped by Colgate 7-6 in the second game of a Tuesday doubleheader. Binghamton won the opener 8-0. Binghamton has won the last three meetings, including the America East tournament triumph that ended Maine’s season. Maine had won the previous three. The Black Bears will need quality pitching performances from Flowers, Kennedy and Bogdanovich because the Bearcats bring a lofty .347 batting average into the series. Binghamton first baseman Lisa Cadogan, a .429 hitter with 11 homers and 53 RBIs a year ago, went 8-for-14 with six RBIs in four games against Maine last season. Cadogan is hitting .267 this season.