QUEENS, New York — The University of Maine baseball team had a tough weekend at the hands of ninth-ranked St. John’s, as the Red Storm swept a three-game weekend series.
St. John’s swept a Saturday doubleheader 3-0 and 9-3 while cruising to a 15-1 victory on Sunday afternoon.
St. John’s improved to 18-2 while UMaine slipped to 6-13.
UMaine’s Nick Silva (1-1) only lasted 2 1/3 innings on Sunday, allowing eight earned runs on nine hits in picking up his first loss of the season.
The Red Storm reached Silva for five first-inning runs while scoring four more in the bottom of the third to put the contest away early.
Colin Ridley scored UMaine’s lone run on a throwing error. The Black Bears were held to just seven hits. Christopher Bec doubled and singled while Brandon Vicens singled twice.
In Saturday’s first game, the Bears were unable to generate any offense and Bangor’s Justin Courtney suffered a tough-luck loss.
Courtney (2-2) pitched 6 2/3 solid innings, giving up just eight hits and striking out three and walking one.
Courtney gave up just two earned runs.
St. John’s scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the fifth and it turned out to be the only run the Red Storm would need.
UMaine was held to just four hits.
The Bears got off to a better start in the second game, with Bec driving in Danny Casals with a double.
Casals had led off the game with a double of his own.
Tyler Schwanz added a sacrifice fly in the first for a 2-0 UMaine lead while Brandon Vicens doubled and scored on a wild pitch in the second.
But that would be it offensively for the Black Bears.
The Red Storm got their first run in the last of the second and erupted for seven runs in the fifth, with Jamie Galazin’s bases-clearing triple giving them the lead for good.
Trevor DeLaite (0-2) took the loss in relief for UMaine. Starter Jonah Normandeau allowed three hits and one run in his four innings of work.
UMaine opens America East play next weekend with a three-game series at UMass Lowell with noon starts for Saturday’s doubleheader and Sunday’s single game.
