Runs were harder to come by for the University of Maine’s baseball team in its three-game non-conference series over the weekend against former America East rival Hartford at Mahaney Diamond in Orono.
Hartford, which won the America East Tournament at Mahaney Diamond as recently as 2018, is transitioning from Division I to Division III.
But the Black Bears, who were held to 13 runs in the three games after scoring 129 in their previous 12, were able to sweep the series as they held on for a 5-4 win on Sunday after a 2-1 Saturday victory and a 6-2 triumph on Friday.
UMaine is now 21-12 overall and has won 18 of its last 20 games. Hartford has lost 14 straight and fell to 2-28.
UMaine junior shortstop Jake Rainess homered in all three games to raise his total to 12 for the season.
On Sunday, the Black Bears spotted Hartford a 2-0 lead on Jackson Ciccone’s run-scoring double in the second and Martin Chavarria’s first homer of the season in the third.
But UMaine tied it on Connor Goodman’s two-out, two-run double in the third and took the lead for good in the fourth on Dylan McNary’s two-out, two-run homer. It was his eighth of the season.
Rainess homered in the seventh to make it 5-2.
Geoff Mosseau came on in relief at the start of the eighth for the Black Bears and allowed two runs on a walk, two hit batsmen, a wild pitch and a run-producing ground out but Ryan Scott stranded the tying run in scoring position with a strikeout.
Justin Baeyens retired all three hitters he faced in the ninth for his fifth save.
Rainess, who had a single to go with his homer, and teammate Jake Marquez, who tripled and singled, were the game’s only repeat hitters.
Ciccone had two RBIs for Hartford.
Junior righthander Noah Lewis picked up his fourth win in five decisions. He allowed two runs on four hits with 11 strikeouts over six innings. Colton Carson pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
On Saturday, Rainess homered in the first and graduate student right fielder Matt McElwain belted his second of the year in the second for UMaine’s only runs.
Sophomore lefty Caleb Leys tossed six innings of four-hit shutout ball to earn the win. He is now 3-0. He struck out 11 and walked three.
Freshman righty Gianni Gambardella went three innings to notch his first career save.
He allowed just one hit, Harrison Engstrom’s fourth homer of the season to lead off the ninth inning. He struck out one and didn’t walk anybody.
Rainess had a double and single to go with his homer.
Robert Chaney allowed only two runs on seven hits over six innings for Hartford and Joe Dooley threw two scoreless, hitless innings.
On Friday, UMaine jumped out to a 4-1 lead after three innings and received solid pitching performances from sophomore righty Colin Fitzgerald and relievers Ryan Scott and Baeyens.
Rainess belted a solo homer in the first and Goodman hit a sacrifice fly later in the inning.
Devin Kellog hit a sacrifice fly in the third to cut the lead in half but UMaine answered with two in the bottom of the third on Jeremiah Jenkins’ RBI double and Marquez’s run-scoring base hit.
UMaine made it 5-1 in the sixth when Goodman singled, stole second and eventually scored on a passed ball.
Chavarria drove in Hartford’s second run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh but Goodman singled home Rainess in the bottom of the seventh.
Goodman and Ryan Turenne had two hits apiece for Maine. Noah Rivera doubled and singled twice for Hartford and Ciccone singled twice.
Fitzgerald, who improved to 4-1, threw seven innings of nine-hit, two-run ball with six strikeouts and three walks. Scott and Baeyens each threw a scoreless inning.
Up next: UMaine will play a non-conference home-and-home set with Merrimack College, hosting the Warriors on Tuesday and traveling to North Andover, Mass. for a Wednesday game. Both start at 4.
Hartford travels to Amherst, Mass. on Tuesday for a 3 p.m contest with UMass.
