Curt Smith had four RBI for Maine on Thursday

May 18, 2006

Box Score

BURLINGTON, Vt.--The University of Maine baseball team lost a doubleheader at Vermont on Thursday afternoon in Burlington, Vt. Maine lost the first game 7-6, before dropping the nightcap 11-5. The Black Bears fall to 30-20-1 on the season and 11-9 in America Eat play, while Vermont improves to 18-30 overall and 16-6 in conference play. The two teams played a doubleheader on Thursday due to rain forecast for the Burlington area on Friday.

Maine, which struck first in the first game, scored a run in the top of the first inning. Joe Hough (West Roxbury, Mass.) walked, stole second base, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Curt Smith (Willemstad, Curacao) grounded out.

Vermont answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Matt Naimoli had a two-run single, while Jim Chapman and Kyle Massie each had an RBI.

Maine continued to chip away at the lead. Hough led off the top of the third inning with a double and scored when Smith singled to right field. Maine pulled to within one run in the top of the seventh inning. Brian Hackett (Bangor, Maine) drew a walk. Hough followed with a double and Hackett scored when Matt McGraw (Burlington, Ontario) hit a sacrifice fly.

The Black Bears tied the game in the top of the eighth inning. Smith singled, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Kevin McAvoy (Brewer, Maine) singled up the middle.

Vermont answered with three runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 7-4 lead. Jim Chapman drew a bases loaded walk and Kyle Brault followed with a two-run single.

Maine countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Hough singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. McGraw reached on an error and Hough scored. With the bases loaded, McAvoy was hit-by-a-pitch scoring McGraw to pull Maine to within one run, but that is as close as it would get.

Scott Robinson (Ajax, Ontario) went 6.1 innings for Maine and allowed four runs on 10 hits. AJ Balsinde (Miami, Fla.) pitched one inning and picked up the loss for Maine. Jeremiah Bayer earned the win for Vermont and improves to 2-8 on the season.

In the second game, Maine jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Matt McGraw reached on a fielder's choice and Joel Barrett (Brewer, Maine) followed with a single through the right side scoring McGraw. McAvoy singled up the middle scoring Barrett.

Vermont answered with a run in the bottom of the first inning when Kyle Brault homered.

Maine scored two runs in the top of the second inning. Billy Cather (Worcester, Mass.) singled and Hough was hit-by-a-pitch. McGraw singled through the right side scoring Cather. Smith drove home the second run of the game on a sacrifice fly.

Jeff Nolet homered in the second inning to pull Vermont to within two runs.

Maine added a run in the top of the fifth inning to take a 5-2 lead. Smith reached on an error. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Danny Menendez (Miami, Fla.) reached on an error.

Vermont pulled to within one run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Brault hit a two-run homer. The Catamounts then added seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to earn the 11-5 victory.

Josh Zyskowski (Grand Rapids, Mich.) went 4.2 innings for Maine and allowed four runs on seven hits. while fanning three. Mike Powers (Portland, Maine) picks up the loss and falls to 3-3 on the season.

The two teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Friday, May 19 beginning at 1:00 p.m.

-U-M-