Stony Brook, Albany, Maine Advance on Opening Day of #AEBASE Championship
Orono, Maine – A low-scoring morning turned into an offensive showcase in the later games as Stony Brook and Albany advanced in the winner’s bracket on the opening day of the 2018 #AEBASE Championship. After losing to the Seawolves in the opening contest, Maine advanced in the loser’s bracket.
No. 4 Stony Brook 2, No. 5 Maine 1
The Seawolves scored a pair of unearned runs in the second and got seven strong innings from Greg Marino to advance in the winner’s bracket. Maine got one back in the fourth on a sac fly from Brandon Vicens that scored Hernen Sardinas and the Black Bears threatened in the sixth and seventh innings but could not push the tying run across. Marino, a First Team All-Conference selection, allowed just one run on six hits and one walk. The sophomore struck out five in the win. Fellow First Team All-Conference selection Aaron Pinto pitched two innings and picked up the save. The senior set a new program record with 15 career saves.
No. 6 Albany 8, No. 3 UMBC 5
Two-out runs were the theme as all 13 scores came in the backend of innings. Albany strung together a pair of two-out hits in the top of the first inning, one of which was a two-run home run from Connor Powers. The Great Danes added three more in the second and had the bases loaded in the top of the third. They were able to push a run across with a delayed steal as Marc Wagenstein beat the throw home. UMBC got on the board in the bottom of the third and followed with three runs in the back half of the fourth after an error allowed them to load the bases for Zack Bright, who delivered a two-run single to make the score 6-4. The Retrievers were never able to inch closer as Albany starter Dominic Savino threw 129 pitches in 7.1 innings to earn the win. The First Team All-Conference selection allowed just two earned runs and Powers led the offense with four RBI. Albany was off and running early and racked up four steals in the contest.
No. 5 Maine 9, No. 3 UMBC 4
Five straight Black Bears reached base to start the game and Danny Casals unloaded a three-run home run as part of a four-run first inning for Maine. Chris Bec hit a two-run triple in the second and Casals drove in another to make the score 7-0 early. UMBC pushed across one run in the second and one in the third. Senior Zack Bright knocked in a pair in the sixth with a single but Retrievers pitching could not quiet Maine's bats. Four Black Bears had multi-hit games, led by Casals who finished with four RBI. Bec had three hits and three RBI as Maine knocked out the defending champions and advanced in the loser’s bracket.
Stony Brook will face No. 1 Hartford in the first game of the day on Thursday at 11 a.m. followed by Albany and No. 2 UMass Lowell. Maine will play the lowest seed of the two losing teams from Game 4 and 5.
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