MAINE vs. HARTFORD
Time, site: Saturday, noon (2), Sunday, noon, Fiondella Field, West Hartford, Connecticut
Records: UMaine 13-27 (9-8 America East), Hartford 17-28 (9-9)
Series, last meeting: UMaine leads 93-42, Hartford 12-7 on 5/19/18
Key players, UMaine: 3B-C Cody Pasic (.292-0-16), 1B Joe Bramanti (.288-3 homers-25 runs batted in, 11 doubles), RF Hernen Sardinas (.285-9-27, 12 doubles), DH-3B Danny Casals (.284-7-17), LF Colin Ridley (.246-1-16, 13 doubles), 2B Caleb Kerbs (.230-0-14); Hartford: SS Jackson Olson (.314-1-17, 12 doubles), 1B Chris Sullivan (.297-3-37, 11 doubles), 3B Zachary Ardito (.276-0-16), CF John Thrasher (.276-2-20), RF Ashton Bardzell (.274-8-35, 11 doubles), LF Devin Kellogg (.247-1-10)
Pitching matchups, UMaine: RH Nick Silva (3-5, 5.47 earned-run average), RH Cody Laweryson (4-4, 2.79), RH Justin Courtney (0-2, 9.60); Hartford: LH Nicholas Dombkowski (2-5, 5.04), RH Sebastian DiMauro (3-3, 5.23), RH Billy DeVito (3-3, 7.74)
Game notes: Hartford won four of the six meetings between the two a year ago. The Hawks enter the series on a three-game winning streak, while UMaine is coming off a 2-1 weekend against league leader Stony Brook, including a 9-8 victory in which the Black Bears overcame a 6-0 deficit. This series will feature two of the league’s best closers. Hartford freshman righty Will Nowak is the reigning America East Co-Rookie of the Week. He is 5-1 with five saves and a 1.76 ERA. UMaine junior lefty Trevor DeLaite is 1-1 with five saves and a 2.25 ERA. DeLaite has struck out 39 in 28 innings. In his past five outings, DeLaite has not allowed a run, and has allowed only four hits over eight innings with 11 strikeouts and no walks. UMaine’s Casals has a seven-game hitting streak in which he has gone 12-for-29 (.414) with two homers and eight RBIs.