Maine edges Bulldogs, 5-3, in opener

MAINE EDGES BRYANT, 5-3, IN GAME ONE ON FRIDAY

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Alex Calbick and Scott Heath each had four hits and Steve Perakslis pitched eight strong innings as the University of Maine defeated the Bryant University baseball team, 5-3, in game one of their three-game weekend series on Friday afternoon at Conaty Park.

The Black Bears (7-12) scored the decisive two runs in the top of the seventh to snap their four-game losing streak and even the all-time series with the Bulldogs (9-10) at 1-1. It is the second-straight loss at home for the Black and Gold after winning five consecutive games last week.

With the game tied at 3-3 in the top of the seventh, the Black Bears loaded the bases with one out and plated two runs on an infield error. Calbrick led off the frame with a double, Justin Leisenheimer was hit by a pitch and Tyler Patzalek singled up the middle, chasing Bryant starter Peter Kelich (Jackson, N.J.). The Bulldogs summoned Jonathan Cohen (Norwalk, Conn.) from the bullpen and the southpaw recorded the second out on a fly ball to left but Colin Gay's ground ball to short was misplayed, allowing two runs to score.

Perakslis made the two unearned runs stand up, stranding two runners on in the seventh and then setting down the Bulldogs in order in his final inning of work in the eighth. Shaun Coughlin took over in the ninth and struck out two in a 1-2-3 inning to pick up his second save of the season.

Maine jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth on three hits and pair of hit by pitches. Calbrick started the inning with a single, moved to second when Leisenheimer was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a sac bunt from Fran Whitten. Patzalek broke the scoreless tie with a single up the middle and Heath made it 2-0 with a single through the right side. Maine pushed across its final run as Sam Balzano worked a bases loaded walk to plate Patazalek.

The Bulldogs responded immediately, tying the game with four hits in the bottom of the inning. Mike DelPonte (Tewksbury, Mass.) and Jamie Skagerlind (Holden, Mass.) started the inning with sharp singles through the right side, Skagerlind's sending DelPonte all the way to third. John Mullen (Walpole, Mass.) got the Black and Gold on the board with a sac fly to right field. Skagerlind then advanced to second on a wild pitch and just beat the throw to the plate on a Connor Carignan (Norwich, Conn.) single to right field. Adam Claire (Litchfield, Conn.) followed with a single to right-center, moving Carignan to third, and Carl Anderson (Sudbury, Mass.) tied the game with a beautiful bunt down the first base line.

It was all the Bulldogs would muster against Perakslis, however. The right-hander threw 114 pitches over eight innings and squelched any momentum the Bulldogs built in the fourth with a quick 1-2-3 fifth. He kept the game tied in the sixth, stranding Carignan on third after a two-out triple to right-center.

Bryant kept the game close with strong defense and timely pitching. Kelich left two runners on base with a strikeout in the second and stranded Heath on third base after he led off the sixth with a triple down the right field line. He got Gay to fly out to left, Mike Connolly to ground to short and then struck out Michael Fransoso swinging to end the inning. His defense helped him out in the fifth as David Soltis (Plainville, Conn.) turned a Leisenheimer sac bunt into a 5-6-3 double play in the fifth.

The Bulldogs first chance of the game came in the first inning but they stranded two runners on base. Dan Muscatello (Hopkinton, Mass.) singled to start the game but was forced out at second on a Kevin Brown (Northborough, Mass.) ground ball. Soltis followed with a single to right to put runners on first and second but Perakslis got a fly out and a strike out to get out of the jam.

Making his sixth start of the year, Kelich did not have his best stuff, he hit four batters and walked two, but he gave the Bulldogs a chance to win with 6.1 solid innings. He allowed five runs (three earned) on 11 hits and struck out four. Cohen held Maine scoreless over the final 2 2/3, allowing just two hits while striking out a pair. Carignan and Soltis each had two of the Bulldogs' 10 hits.

Perakslis struck out seven and did not walk a batter over eight innings. He allowed three runs on 10 hits to earn his first win of the season. Patzalek joined Calbick and Heath with multiple hits, collecting two on the afternoon.

The Bulldogs and Black Bears will continue their three-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 12:30 p.m. Due to impending bad weather, Sunday's series finale will be played tomorrow. The first game will be seven innings with a second nine-inning game following approximately 30 minutes after.