John Arel pitched six innings of four-hit ball and worked around three errors by his teammates on Saturday afternoon to lead the University of Maine to a 5-2 victory over the University at Albany in the second game of an America East baseball doubleheader at Varsity Field in Albany, New York.
The Great Danes won the opener 7-1 and won the rubber game of the series on Sunday 9-1.
In Game 2, Arel (2-7) claimed his second straight win with another strong outing for UMaine (17-29, 6-11 AE). The sophomore right-hander spaced four singles while striking out nine and walking one. Both of the runs he allowed were unearned.
For the second consecutive week, freshman righty Nick Silva worked a perfect seventh inning and struck out two to notch his fourth save of the season.
Freshman Colin Ridley powered the UMaine offense with a two-run home run and a two-run single. Jon Salcedo (RBI), Jeremy Pena (2 runs scored) and Brenden Geary each contributed two singles.
Kyle Sacks singled twice and knocked in a run and Matt Hinchy hit an RBI single for UAlbany (19-23, 7-10 AE). Starter Stephen Woods (3-5) allowed seven hits and five runs in his five-inning stint.
The Black Bears grabbed the lead for good in the first inning. Lou Della Fera and Danny Casals walked around a single by Pena. Ridley followed with a two-run single through the middle, but the visitors stranded two runners.
UMaine scored once in the fourth on Geary’s one-out single to center, a groundout and Salcedo’s run-scoring base hit to left-center.
The Bears added two in the fifth as Pena singled with one out and Ridley launched his team-leading sixth home run over the fence in right field.
UAlbany scored twice in the sixth on a one-out single by Will Miller, Kevin Donati’s fielder’s choice, a wild pitch and consecutive singles by Sacks and Hinchy. However, Arel worked out of further trouble.
In the first game, left-hander Brendan Ryan (5-2) limited UMaine to seven hits while going the distance. He struck out four and walked two, throwing 108 pitches.
Connor Powers rapped two doubles with three RBIs to spark the Great Danes, while Tre Todd collected three singles. Karson Canaday (RBI) and Hinchy each contributed two singles.
UMaine starter Logan Fullmer (3-2) gave up eight hits and five runs with four strikeouts and two walks.
Tyler Schwanz led the Bears with a double and a single. His double to right-center with one out in the ninth spoiled Ryan’s shutout bid.
UAlbany grabbed a 1-0 lead on Joey Tracy’s sacrifice fly in the second, then put up four runs in the sixth. Sacks and Hinchy opened the rally with singles and, one out later, Todd hit an RBI single to center and Powers doubled down the line in right, plating two runs.
Tracy’s sacrifice fly made it 5-0 and Ryan made the lead stand up.
On Sunday, three UMaine pitchers gave up nine walks with starter Chris Murphy lasting only 2 ⅔ innings after giving up five walks while not allowing a hit and striking out six.
UAlbany used a six-run fifth inning to rally by the Bears after trailing 3-2. Evan Harasta’s two-run double and Canaday’s RBI double highlighted the inning while the Great Danes also scored a run on a bases-loaded walk and Sacks’ sacrifice fly.
Geary doubled, singled and drove in three runs to lead the Black Bears. Pena chipped in with two singles.