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We are ten weeks into the season and now have a new leader atop the America East Baseball Conference. The Maine Black Bears, who struggled through the early stages of the college baseball season, seem to have found their stride. Last weekend at home vs UMBC, Maine did some pitching and had plenty of offense.
They were not the only ones who had a good weekend. Bryant took two of three from UMass Lowell, while Binghamton took down the former 1st place team in the conference, NJIT. It is shaping up to be quite a final few weeks in America East.
The Black Bears (16-21, 10-5) bats were on display last weekend at home on Mahaney Diamond. In the three-game series vs UMBC, Maine put up 44 runs. After losing the first game by a 16-12 score, the Black Bears came back with wins of 9-1 on Saturday, then a run-rule victory of 23-1 on Sunday. The pitching took shape in the final two games of the series. Saturday, it was Caleb Leyes (4-1) who went seven innings of five-hit, one earned run baseball, and he was named AE Pitcher of the Week for that start. On Sunday, it was Gianni Gambardella (4-2) who went the first five and gave up 1 hit and 1 earned run. The Black Bears have a big home series this weekend as they will host NJIT in a first-place showdown. They will do so having won two in a row, and they are 5-3 at home so far.
The Binghamton Bearcats (19-17) took out the brooms over the weekend and swept up the Highlanders (18-19, 7-5 ). Two of the three wins were one-run victories, and the Bearcats’ bullpen was just a little bit better than that of the Highlanders. On the offensive side of the ball, two names stood out, one for each team. For NJIT, it was SS Ray Ortiz’s night, hitting two HRs and driving in 5 RBI, in an 8-7 loss. On Saturday, he would have three more hits in a 13-6 loss. On Sunday, one more hit and two more RBI. For the Bearcats, it was 3rd baseman Devin Bade. A three-hit game on Sunday was followed up by a two-hit, two runs scored, and five RBI Saturday. He hit two HRs in that game. A solo shot in the 4th, then a 3-run blast in the 5th. The Bearcats have won five in a row as they head to Lowell to face the River Hawks.
Bryant University (18-16-1, 7-5) took the first two games at home against the River Hawks (14-24, 6-9). Game one was a run-rule 12-1 victory. Michael Belcher (2-0) had a complete game, allowing three hits and one earned run, and that performance earned him AE Rookie of the Week. The Bulldogs hit three home runs in that game. On Saturday, they whacked 10 doubles and one home run in a 14-10 win. Down 9-4 halfway through the game, Bryant came up with a 5-spot in the bottom of the fifth. Then, two more in the sixth, and three in the seventh. The River Hawks took game three behind the solid starting pitching of Nick DiRito and three innings of relief from Dylan Bedder.
After a tough weekend in Maine, UMBC (15-18, 7-8) will play non-league baseball this weekend as they will host Manhattan. A single game on Friday, then a doubleheader on Saturday.
The AE Player of the Week is second baseman Myles Sargent of Maine. He batted .556 and slugged 889 with 14 RBI. He hit three doubles and one home run, had a 4-hit game on Friday, then a three-hit game on Saturday.
Next week, we are one week closer to tournament time in America East.
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