University of Maine ace Nick Sinacola, who was chosen as the league’s Pitcher of the Year on Wednesday, has lost his last two starts after going 8-1.
But the junior right-hander had just one bad inning in each outing and he isn’t concerned about it as he prepares to take the mound at 11:30 a.m. Thursday against host Stony Brook to open the four-team double-elimination America East Tournament at Joe Nathan Field in Stony Brook, New York.
UMaine is 21-20 while Stony Brook is 29-17.
Albany (22-23) and league newcomer the New Jersey Institute of Technology (24-22) square off in the 2:30 p.m. game.
“I feel good. I could have been better in certain circumstances, but I will make a note of it, move forward and work on that stuff,” Sinacola said.
“I’m not going to change anything really. I’m going to stay in command [of my pitches] and be aggressive,” he said.
The 6-foot-1 junior from North Attleboro, Massachusetts, is 8-3 with a 2.12 earned run average and a school-record 128 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings. He has only issued 21 walks and opponents are hitting just .208 against him.
Sinacola tossed seven scoreless innings last Friday before giving up three, two-out runs to Albany in the eighth inning of a 3-0 loss. He logged 14 strikeouts in eight innings.
He gave up a two-run homer to Johnny Marti on a pitch he said was too much over the middle of the plate.
In his previous start against Hartford, Sinacola held them to one run through six innings before surrendering four eighth-inning runs in a 6-5 setback.
His slider continues to be his best pitch and he also throws a fastball and a split-fingered pitch.
“He has a pro slider,” UMaine catcher Ryan Turenne said.
A scheduled four-game set with Stony Brook was canceled earlier this season. Sinacola said there are positives and negatives to facing a team for the first time.
He won’t know as much about the hitters’ tendencies not having pitched against them live, but both teams are in the same situation and he has scouting reports on the Seawolves.
Stony Brook head coach Matt Senk said Sinacola presents a difficult challenge for his team.
“I have always been impressed with the way he handled his business,” Senk said. “Everybody says he is legit. He has a good fastball but his slider is the reason all the pro scouts have been following him. It may be at the Major League level right now and he can apparently throw variations of it.”
Sinacola is the only UMaine pitcher who has any playoff experience. He pitched a scoreless relief inning against UMass Lowell in the 2019 tournament. Last year’s event was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“[Playoff experience] makes a difference but it’s not like our staff hasn’t pitched in games. Our backs have been against the wall the last two weekends,” Sinacola said.
First baseman Joe Bramanti and Turenne are the only everyday players who have competed in the postseason.
UMaine went 5-3 against Hartford and Albany over the last two weekends to edge out UMass Lowell for the last playoff spot.
“We had a little bit of magic going. I feel good about our chances in the tournament with the way we’ve been playing lately. I’m confident. We’re in a good spot. I’m excited,’ Sinacola said.
The last four tournaments have been won by different teams. Stony Brook won the last one in 2019 after Hartford (2018), the University of Maryland Baltimore County (2017) and Binghamton (2016) claimed titles.
UMaine last won the title in 2011.
“All four are really good teams,” UMaine head coach Nick Derba said.
“It’s a tall order. We’re going to have to play solid baseball.”
Derba said UMaine has to receive the kind of solid pitching performances they have had recently. Freshman lefty Tyler Nielsen was named the AE pitcher of the week after tossing six shutout innings against Albany. The Bears also must play sound defense, get timely hits and execute the fundamentals like getting bunts down to move runners.