The University of Maine baseball team is off to a 4-17 start as it prepares for a three-game America East series at Hartford this weekend (weather permitting).
Of concern is the pitching staff, which has a 7.17 earned run average and is yielding nearly six walks per game.
But head coach Nick Derba, who was promoted from interim head coach last year, insists his team is better than the record indicates.
“It’s a very frustrating start but I’m optimistic,” Derba said. “If you go back over the 21 games, it came down to one or two pitches in several games. We could be around .500.
“We aren’t a 4-17 team. We’re very competitive,” Derba stated.
UMaine has lost seven games by one or two runs.
Complicating matters for Derba is the uncertain status of pitchers Justin Courtney of Bangor and Matt Pushard of Brewer.
Senior righty Courtney is the Black Bears’ No. 1 starter and he is experiencing some tightness in his forearm, according to Derba. He didn’t pitch in last weekend’s four-game series at New Mexico State and he won’t pitch this weekend.
The former freshman All-American was off to a 1-1 start with a 2.57 ERA and 26 strikeouts with only 14 hits allowed in 21 innings. Opponents are hitting just .179 against him.
Derba is optimistic Courtney will be back soon.
Sophomore Pushard emerged as a reliable reliever at the end of last season, posting a 1-0 record and a 1.00 ERA in 11 appearances spanning 18 innings. But he has pitched just once due to a shoulder issue.
Derba admitted that his pitching staff’s erratic control is “my number one concern.”
The Black Bears have walked 123 hitters in 180 2/3 innings and have hit 50 batters. The combination of walks and hit batters (173) is one shy of their total strikeouts (174).
“I can live with three or four walks per game but walking six to 10 on a consistent basis is ridiculous,” Derba said. “I know they’re better than that.”
Derba feels he has good depth on his pitching staff and playing three-game series in America East will be beneficial because his pitchers won’t have to log as many innings (two nine-inning games and one seven) as they did during four-game non-conference series made up of nine-inning games.
“They’ll be on a shorter leash. If we can get three to five [quality] innings out of our starters, we have enough depth to take care of the rest of the game,” Derba said.
Junior right-hander Nick Silva (1-2, 8.41), has struck out 25 in 20 1/3 innings but has given up six home runs among 32 hits. He has been a starter and reliever during his career but will be a top-of-the-rotation starter this spring.
Silva (2-2, 4.64 ETRA, 62 strikeouts, 47 walks in 64 IP in 2017) is slated to get a start vs. Hartford. Converted senior reliever Zach Winn (0-0, 2.87) also will get a start as will inconsistent junior Chris Murphy (0-5, 15.43, 15 walks, 15 strikeouts, 11 hit batters in 16 1/3 innings).
Derba will rely on senior pitchers John Arel (0-0 4.50) and Connor Johnson (0-2, 7.36), Lewiston junior Eddie Emerson (0-2, 6.30) and sophomore righty Cody Laweryson of Moscow (0-1, 4.50, 1 save, 16 Ks, 12 IP) to handle important bullpen roles along with redshirt freshman Matt Geoffrion (1-1, 4.50, 19 Ks, 14 IP) and true freshman Ben Terwilliger (0-1, 2.70).
Laweryson was 4-2 with a 3.55 ERA a year ago and was chosen to the America East All-Rookie Team.
Sophomore Trevor DeLaite (1-1, 9.00) and freshman Peter Kemble (0-0 20.77), both from Bangor, could also figure in the bullpen but Hampden freshman Alex McKenney (0-1, 16.50) is having arm issues.
Although the Black Bears are hitting just .240 so far this season, Derba said he hasn’t had his lineup intact due to a variety of injuries and ailments. Only four players have appeared in all 21 games.
He expects to have everyone back for the Hartford series and he has returned virtually everyone from last year’s team except graduated All-AE second-team right fielder Tyler Schwanz (.272, 6 HR, 34 RBI).
The Black Bears, picked second in the America East preseason coaches poll, should be able to score runs but Derba said they must do a better job hitting in the clutch and driving in runs.
The Black Bears, who went 25-29 a year ago and reached the tournament finals thanks to four straight tourney wins, will be bolstered by the return of third baseman Danny Casals, who played in just 25 games due to season-ending shoulder surgery. The junior leads the team in hitting (.323), homers (4) and RBI (16).
Slick-fielding junior shortstop Jeremy Pena (.284-3-11) and sophomore 1B-OF Hernen Sardinas (.280-3-9), an All-Rookie pick last year, are also off to good starts.
The other regulars or contributors are senior catcher-designated hitter-OF Jonathan Bennett (.264-0-8), junior 2B Caleb Kerbs (.246-0-7), senior CF Brandon Vicens (.232-1-3), sophomore 1B-C Cody Pasic (.219-1-6), junior OF Colin Ridley (.193-1-7), sophomore OF Kevin Doody (.182-0-5) and C-DH Christopher Bec (.188-0-6).
Bec, who hit a team-leading .340 and was an All-HE second-team pick, has appeared in just 13 games but is healthy again.
UMaine is scheduled to play its home-opening doubleheader against Albany on March 31. The Black Bears will host the America East tournament May 23-27 for the first time in 14 years.
Follow BDN Maine Sports on Facebook for the latest in Maine high school and college sports.