ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany baseball team will play its second America East series of the season this weekend when the team visits Maine for three games. The Black Bears, who eliminated UAlbany from the 2017 America East Tournament, will host this year's conference tournament at the end of May.
UAlbany (9-8, 1-2 AE) most recently hosted Massachusetts for its 2018 home opener, after playing its first 16 games of the season on the road. Against the Minutemen, UAlbany got out to a 2-0 lead before falling behind 8-2. The Great Danes rally effort fell just short, despite the winning run coming to the plate in the bottom of the ninth.
Maine has had the full week off after visiting Harftord to open its conference schedule. The Black Bears fell to the Hawks two games to one in the series. Maine victory in the final game of the series snapped a 10-game losing streak dating back to March 3.
Maine and UAlbany met twice in the tournament last season, after UAlbany visited Maine to end the regular season. In the tournament's first game, UAlbany defeated the Black Bears 3-0 to advance to the winner's bracket. After defeating top seed Binghamton to move within one win of the championship game, UAlbany lost to eventual champion UMBC, falling into the elimination bracket. Their opponent was Maine once again, and this time Maine claimed victory, eliminating the Great Danes and ending their season.
UAlbany and Maine are currently tied for fifth in the America East standings with Binghamton, all of whom have matching 1-2 conference records. Stony Brook sits atop the standings with UMass Lowell and UMBC with 2-1 records, but the Seawolves have the best overall record among the three. To date, only UAlbany and Stony Brook have winning overall records this season.
Following the series with Maine, UAlbany will play midweek games at Marist on Tuesday, April 3, and at LIU Brooklyn on Wednesday, April 4, before hosting Hartford for three games next weekend.
THE OUTLOOK: MAINE (5-19, 1-2 AE) | March 31-April 1 | Orono, Maine.
Game Schedule: Mar. 31, 12:00 p.m. | Mar. 31, 3:00 p.m. | Apr. 1, 1:00 p.m.
Tale of the Tape:
- Maine has not yet played at home this season
- UAlbany is 8-5 on the road
- Maine is 3-13 in its last 16
- Maine lost four straight to start the season
- UAlbany went 3-2 against Maine last season
- UAlbany leads the America East in pitching (4.40 ERA)
- Maine's Bennet Jonathan leads in walks (16)
2017 Record: 25-29, (8-12 AE); fifth place America East, tournament finalist
Top Offensive Player: Jeremy Pena, Jr., INF, (.287/.354/.475, 6 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 12 RBIs)
Top Pitcher: Justin Courtney, Sr., RHP, (1-1, 2.57 ERA, 21.0 IP, 26 K, 8 BB)
