Maine junior Mike Collar (8-3) pitched eight innings of four hit ball, allowing only one unearned run, and senior first baseman Jesse Carlton knocked in three runs to lead Maine to a, 6-1, win over Vermont at the America East Baseball Championship at Centennial Field in Burlington, Vt.
Maine (38-17) took the early lead, plating three runs in the bottom of the second. Joe Drapeau led off the inning, reaching on catcher’s interference. After stealing second and advancing to third on a single by Aaron Izaryk, he came home on a RBI sacrifice fly by Carlton. Mike Livulpi followed with a two-run home run to right field to give the Black Bears the 3-0 lead.
Vermont threatened in the top of the fourth, putting runners on first and third with one out, but a strikeout and a fielder’s choice groundout enabled Collar to get out of the jam.
The Black Bears extended the lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by Drapeau.
In the top of the fifth, the Catamounts got on the board, cutting their deficit to 4-1. Dean Geoffrey reached on an infield single, and advanced to second when the shortstop’s throw got by the Maine first baseman. Bobby Tewksbary moved the runner to third with single to right, and Geoffrey scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Jeff Barry.
Maine added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, as Carlton drove home Izaryk and Joe Hough with a two-RBI double to left center.
Catamount starting pitcher Derek Miller (4-4) gave up six runs, three earned, in five and one third innings of work.
Vermont ends its season with a record of 32-14. The 32 wins is a school record.
Maine advances and will play the loser of the Stony Brook/Northeastern game at 7 p.m. Friday for the right to play in the championship game.
America East Baseball Championship
at Centennial Field, Burlington, Vt.
Thursday, May 22, 2003
Game 1-- No. 3 Stony Brook 4, No. 2 Maine 2
Game 2?No. 4 Northeastern, 2, No. 1 Vermont 1
Friday, May 23, 2003
Game 3?Maine 5, Vermont 1
Game 4?Stony Brook vs. Northeastern, 3:30 p.m.
Game 5?Maine vs. Loser Game 4, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 24, 2003
Game 6?Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 12 noon
Game 7?same teams (if necessary) , to follow