Late Comeback Lifts Stetson Past Maine Baseball

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Maine (0-5)	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	3	8	0
Stetson (2-2)	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	2	X	6	15	3
@ DeLand, Fla. | Melching Field

Pitching
Win: Perez (1-0) - Stetson
Loss: F Whitten (0-1) - Maine
Save: Schaly (1) - Stetson

Maine Batting
2B: M Fransoso; M Connolly
3B: none
HR: none

Stetson Batting
2B: Mazeika; Rasmussen; Russini
3B: none
HR: none

full stats

DeLAND, Fla -- Stetson scored five runs in its final two at-bats to overcome a 2-1 deficit and defeat the University of Maine baseball team 6-3 on Thursday night in DeLand, Fla. Alex Calbick (Burnaby, British Columbia) led the Maine offense with a pair of hits and a run scored. 

Maine took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Sam Balzano (Portland, Maine) reached on an error and then stole second base. He moved to third base when Michael Fransoso (Portsmouth, N.H.) grounded out and scored when Scott Heath (Westbrook, Maine) grounded out. 

Stetson answered in the bottom of the inning. Tyler Babcock walked and scored when Patrick Mazeika doubled to left center.

Maine took the lead once again in the top of the sixth inning. Alex Calbick singled to center field and scored when Fran Whitten (Westborough, Mass.) grounded out to second base.   

Stetson grabbed the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Babcock singled to right field and Mazeika followed with a single through the right side, sending Babcock to third base. Both runners scored when James Rasmussen doubled down the left field line. Rasmussen scored the third run of the inning when Mitchel Brennan singled through the right side. 

Maine threatened in the top of the eighth inning, placing the tying runs on base, but neither runner was able to cross the plate. 

The Hatters added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Mike Fernland singled up the middle, stole second and scored when Kevin Fagan singled to left field. Fagan stole second and scored when Babcock singled to center field.

The Black Bears threatened again in the top of the ninth inning as they loaded the bases with no outs. Mike Connolly (Bridgewater, Mass.) doubled to lead off the inning and scored when Fransoso hit a sacrifice fly. Maine, however, was not able to plate the tying runs. 

Luke Morrill (South Thomaston, Maine) went five innings on the mound for the Black Bears. He allowed one run on six hits while striking out one. He was replaced by Whitten who went two innings. Whitten allowed three runs on six hits and suffered the loss. He falls to 0-1 on the season. D.J. Voisine (Plainville, Conn.) pitched the final inning for the Black Bears. He allowed two runs on three hits. 

Kurt Schluter got the start for Stetson and allowed two runs, one of which was earned, on five hits. Austin Perez pitched the next two innings and allowed a run on three hits. He picks up the win. Adam Schaly pitched the ninth inning to earn the save. 

Calbick and Troy Black (Mississauga, Ontario) each had a pair of hits for the Black Bears. 

Maine falls to 0-5 on the season with the loss, while Stetson improves to 2-2. 

The two teams play game two of their three game series on Friday at 6:30 PM. 

   -U-M-