College Softball
MAINE vs. BINGHAMTON
Time, site: Saturday, noon (2); Sunday, 11 a.m.; Kessock Field, Orono
Records: UMaine 18-19 (7-3 America East), Binghamton 11-21 (4-7)
Series, last meeting: UMaine leads 31-18, UMaine 2-1 on 5/12/17
Key players: Maine — CF Rachel Carlson (.344-0 homers-11 runs batted in, 21 runs), C Maddie Decker (.288-4-23), SS Laurine German (.278-0-8, 17 runs), RF Erika Leonard (.262-0-10, 18 runs), 1B Kristen Niland (.232-1-11), 3B Alyssa Derrick (.231-5-26); Binghamton — CF Jessica Rutherford (.394-1-15, 20 runs), 3B Kate Richard (.297-6-23, 17 runs), SS Makayla Alvarez (.296-2-7, 16 runs), 1B Kassidy Seary (.280-1-22), RF Lauren Martinez (.246-1-9), LF Carrie Maniccia (.242-0-4)
Pitching matchups: UMaine — RH Annie Kennedy (9-4, 1.35 ERA, 77 strikeouts, 13 walks), RH Kyleigh O’Donnell (5-7, 3.50), RH Molly Flowers (2-6, 6.56); Binghamton — RH Rayn Gibson (5-10, 4.51), RH Rozlyn Price (3-8, 4.98), LH Chelsea Howard (3-2, 4.61)
Game notes: The Black Bears eliminated the Bearcats from the America East Tournament a year ago 2-1 after being swept in their three-game regular season series at Binghamton. Richard feasted on Black Bear pitching in the four games, going 6-for-8 with three homers and seven runs batted in. Gibson and Price were America East All-Rookie Team picks a year ago and Gibson was also chosen to the AE second game. Both have had control issues this season as Gibson has walked 43 in 76 innings and Price has issued 31 in 59 innings. It will be UMaine’s final home series for the eight seniors. They will be honored on Sunday. Binghamton has lost five in a row and been outscored 29-4. Kennedy leads America East in ERA and Carlson’s four triples are tops. Rutherford is the conference’s second-leading hitter.
College Baseball
MAINE vs. MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY
Time, site: Saturday 3 p.m. (2); Sunday, noon, The Baseball Factory Field, Catonsville, Maryland
Records: UMaine 11-25 (6-6 America East), UMBC 14-20 (6-6)
Series, last meeting: UMaine leads 41-12, UMBC 2-1 (10 inns.) on 5/28/17
Key players: Maine — C-DH Chris Bec (.297-4 homers-15 RBIs), RF Hernen Sardinas (.288-4-24), SS Jeremy Pena (.287-3-16, 29 runs), 3B Danny Casals (.284-8-28, 24 runs), C-DH Jonathan Bennett (.271-1-20), 2B Caleb Kerbs (.255-0-10); UMBC — DH Zack Bright (.298-2-19, 19 runs), 3B Christian Torres (.284-1-20), 2B A.J. Wright (.281-2-23, 21 runs), LF Dalton Stewart (.264-1-8), CF Raven Beeman (.258-1-13), LF Collin Stack (.210-3-12)
Pitching matchups: UMaine — RH John Arel (4-1, 2.91 ERA), RH Zach Winn (1-0, 3.16), RH Nick Silva (2-5, 6.26); UMBC — RH Chase Bailey (2-4, 5.06), RH Max Goron (2-2, 5.28), RH Matt Chanin (0-1, 4.76)
Game notes: UMBC beat UMaine 2-1 in 10 innings in the America East championship game a year ago. The Black Bears collected 13 hits but stranded 12 runners. The Retrievers have won four of their last five. These teams are next to each other in the league’s overall statistics. UMaine is third in hitting (.260) and UMBC is fourth (.249) and UMaine is last in ERA (5.88) while UMBC is next-to-last (5.60). UMBC has one of the best relievers in the league in righty Stephen Schoch (1-3, 7 saves, 1.86). UMaine’s Casals is second in the league in homers with eight. Arel is coming off a six-inning, 12-strikeout no-hitter in a 1-0 loss at UMass Lowell.