College Softball
MAINE vs. HARTFORD
Time, site: Thursday, 1:30 p.m., Bearcats Sports Complex, Vestal, New York
Records: UMaine 16-23, Hartford 4-43
Series, last meeting: UMaine 8-4 on 4/9/17
Key players: Maine — CF Rachel Carlson (.355-0 home runs-10 runs batted in, 12 stolen bases), RF Meghan Royle (.286-3-16), 3B Alyssa Derrick (.267-13-31), SS Felicia Lennon (.261-0-3), LF Erika Leonard (.239-3-21); Hartford — C Meghan Wynn (.288-0-5), 1B Lexi Wilkerson (.264-6-21), LF Kristen DiCiantis (.264-2-17), 3B Danielle DeMarco (.230-3-14, 8 SB)
Pitching matchups: UMaine — LH Erin Bogdanovich (.5-10, 4.44 earned run average), RH Molly Flowers (6-9, 4.65); Hartford — RH Isabella Gerone (1-12, 5.25), RH Bianca Ross (1-16, 1.28), RH Melissa Pereira (1-13, 7.03)
Game notes: The No. 2 Black Bears received a bit of a surprise for their first postseason opponent as the sixth-seeded Hawks knocked off No. 3 Stony Brook 2-1 on Wednesday despite committing three errors. UMaine swept a three-game series from Hartford in April at Orono. Hartford’s victory on Wednesday snapped a 26-game losing streak that dated back to March 20. The Hawks’ paltry .206 batting average, their puffy 6.49 ERA and their .925 fielding percentage during the regular season were all America East worsts. UMaine was sixth in batting (.260), fourth in ERA (4.54) and seventh in fielding (.935). The Black Bears are without suspended catcher Rachel Harvey and relief pitcher Annie Kennedy.