University of Albany Baseball Sweeps Maine in America East Conference Doubleheader - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Senior right hander Sean Gregory earned two saves on the mound to lead UAlbany to a doubleheader sweep of Maine in America East Conference baseball action on Friday afternoon at Varsity Field. The Great Danes defeated the Black Bears 3-2 in game one and followed up with a 7-5 win in the nightcap.

Game one was a pitcher’s duel and remained scoreless until the sixth inning. Maine got on the scoreboard first, loading the bases before Billy Cather knocked an RBI single to center field to send Tony Patane home. UAlbany responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, led off by a Jim Banks single. Sean Donovan drew a walk off reliever Alejandro Balsinde and both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Gary Pitcheralle. After the Black Bears intentionally walked Brendan Rowland to lead the bases, catcher Ryan Gugel drove a single into center to score the Great Danes’ first run. Centerfielder Dave West followed with a base hit to right scoring the remaining baserunners.

Gregory took over for starter Dave Kubiak, who earned the win with six strikeouts in 6.1 innings, in the seventh. Gregory struck out Joey Martin and induced a fly out by Danny Menendez to earn his first save of the day. Balsinde took the loss on the mound for Maine after taking over for Jonathan Balentina, who fanned two opposing batters in 5.0 innings of work.

The Great Danes took an early 2-0 lead in the second game, as West drove a single up the middle to score Rowland, who knocked out a double, and Pitcheralle, who reached on a fielder’s choice. The Black Bears responded with four runs in the top of the second to take the lead. Menendez hit a two-run double to right, while Cather and Ian Leisenheimer both recorded RBI singles.

UAlbany regained a one-run advantage in the second as Mike Tirri, Pete Eichner and Ralph Keppler hit three consecutive doubles. Pitcheralle was responsible for the third run scored with an RBI single up the middle. In the bottom of the third, the Great Danes tacked on another run with a solo homer by Gugel that sailed over the right field wall. Gugel sent another run home in the bottom of the eighth with a base hit through the left side that scored Pitcheralle, who led off the frame with a double. Maine attempted a late-inning comeback with a single run scored in the ninth, but Gregory, who took over for set-up man Dave Noble in the eighth, held off a rally to earn his second save of the day.

Starter Josh Willmott clamed the win on the mound for the Great Danes to improve to 2-2 on the season. Jeff Kaier also saw 1.2 innings of action, striking out two. Matt Jebb took the loss for Maine, allowing six earned runs in 3.2 innings of work.

UAlbany (19-24, AE 11-7) and Maine (26-17, AE 9-5) will conclude the four-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon.