NCAA Tournament
Athens Regional
MAINE vs. No. 16 GEORGIA
Time, site: Friday, 3:30 p.m., University of Georgia softball stadium
Records: Maine 28-19, Georgia 40-17
Series, last meeting: first meeting
Key players: Maine — C Janelle Bouchard (.395-5 home runs, 39 runs batted in, 38 runs), LF Rachel Harvey (.352-5-23), 2B Meghan Royle (.339-3-15), SS Felicia Lennon (.336-4-32), CF Rachel Carlson (.336-0-16), RF Erika Leonard (.329-2-21, 19 stolen bases), 3B Alyssa Derrick (.300-8-41);Georgia — RF Sydni Emanuel (.466-0-15, 13 stolen bases), LF Cortni Emanuel (.445-0-19, 30 SBs), CF Samantha LaZear (.394-0-3), 3B Alyssa DiCarlo (.368-11-56), 1B Tina Iosefa (.361-20-79), DP Maeve McGuire (.345-8-32), 2B Alex Hugo (.327-9-45)
Pitching matchups: Maine: LH Erin Bogdanovich (10-4, 2.87 earned-run average), RH Molly Flowers (11-10, 2.58, 142 strikeouts in 108 ⅓ innings); Georgia: RH Chelsea Wilkinson (23-7, 2.04, 180 strikeouts in 182 innings), RH Brittany Gray (11-8, 3.14, 5 saves)
Game notes: The Bulldogs are 20-7 at home. They come into the tournament having lost seven of their last 10 games. But those 10 games came against No. 4 Auburn, No. 6 Alabama and the University of Mississippi, all of which are in regionals. Iosefa’s 79 RBIs lead the nation. The Emanuel sisters are the table setters at the top of the order. Georgia is hitting .354 and has 58 homers in 57 games. Hugo has walked 45 times. Maine is hitting .320 and outscored its three opponents in the America East Tournament 24-5. The Black Bears are going to have to play exceptional team defense. They can’t afford to give the Bulldogs any extra outs. Bogdanovich is going to have to be sharp and keep the Georgia hitters off-balance. Maine can’t be awed by the surroundings. Maine has won eight of its last nine.
Baseball
MAINE vs. BINGHAMTON
Time, site: noon Friday (2), noon Saturday; Vestal, New York
Records: Maine 18-31 (7-13 America East), Binghamton 25-22 (17-4)
Series, last meeting: Maine leads 32-27, Binghamton 2-0 on 3/27/16
Key players: Maine — 3B Danny Casals (.305, 3 home runs, 15 runs batted in, 12 stolen bases), LF Colin Ridley (.299-6-36), SS Jeremy Pena (.278-1-14, 10 SB), RF Tyler Schwanz (.274-5-23, 7 SB), 1B Brendan Geary (.260-2-15, 7 SB); Binghamton — 2B Reed Gamache (.364, 6 home runs, 43 runs batted in, 7 stolen bases), 1B Brendan Skidmore (.323-9-36), LF Eddie Posavec (.321-0-20), CF C.J. Krowiak (.313-0-24, 14 SB)
Pitching matchups: Maine — RH Logan Fullmer (4-2, 2.48 earned run average, 67 strikeouts), RH John Arel (2-8, 4.19, 63 K), RH Chris Murphy (0-3, 6.81 48 K); Binghamton — RH Jake Cryts (6-4, 4.96 ERA, 29 K), RH Mike Bunal (7-3, 3.89, 72 K), RH Nick Wegmann (1-0, 3.64, 22 K)
Game notes: This series is likely to determine little or nothing in terms of the conference standings, although both squads will try to get their pitching lined up for next week’s America East tournament. UMaine probably won’t use its starters for more than three or four innings and expects to get Justin Courtney some work after a shoulder ailment. The Black Bears have lost two in a row and four of seven. The Bearcats have clinched the top seed for the postseason and have won 10 of 12 overall, despite dropping Sunday’s series finale at Albany. Binghamton surprisingly ranks last in AE team ERA (5.05), but is second in batting (.297) and first in fielding (.980). UMaine, which continues to struggle offensively at .249, likely will finish sixth and face a first-round playoff game on May 25. Binghamton will receive a bye.