Baseball
MAINE vs. RHODE ISLAND
Time, site: 2 p.m. Tuesday (2), Mahaney Diamond, Orono
Records: Maine 11-26, Rhode Island 15-19
Series, last meeting: Maine leads 57-49-2, Maine 6-5 in 2010
Key players: Maine — 3B Danny Casals (.314, 3 home runs, 13 runs batted in, 10 stolen bases), LF Colin Ridley (.282-4-23), RF Tyler Schwanz (.269-4-18, 6 SB), CF Brett Chappell (.265-3-16), 1B Brenden Geary (.254-2-12, 7 SB); Rhode Island — CF Jordan Powell (.379-0-15, 8 SB), 3B Martin Figueroa (.336-4-24, 6 SB), RF Ryan Olmo (.259-1-18), 2B Chris Hess (.244-5-21)
Pitching matchups: Maine — RH Jonah Normandeau (1-2, 4.66 earned run average, 22 strikeouts), LH Eddie Emerson (1-1, 3.57, 13 K); URI — RH Blaise Whitman (1-2, 6.64, 21 K), RH Evan Flanagan (0-1, 1.93, 12 K)
Game notes: The Black Bears look to regroup after dropping three America East games at Hartford last weekend. UMaine had won six of its previous seven contests, but surrendered 21 runs on 34 hits in the series and remains in last place with a 2-9 record. The Rams are tied for second place in the Atlantic 10 Conference at 8-4. Rhode Island had lost four in a row before sweeping a three-game set from St. Bonaventure. The Rams are batting .258 (4.6 runs per game), with Powell and Figueroa the only regulars over .275. Casals is UMaine’s lone .300 hitter. The Bears hope to get strong starts out of Lewiston High product Emerson, who has held opponents to a .172 batting average, and Bridgton Academy grad Normandeau. URI is UMaine’s second home Division I opponent of the season, which is a rarity. The Bears faced New York Institute of Technology April 8-9 in a four-game series.