WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Hartford baseball team split a doubleheader with the Maine Black Bears on Sunday, winning the opener 7-6 on a walk-off single from freshman Billy Walker and dropping the second game by a 7-2 final. Leading the Hawks (3-16, 3-3 America East) on the day was freshman Nick Dummar who finished with three hits in six at bats, while driving in a run.

Dummar was one of six players to drive in Hartford's runs, with junior catcher James Alfonso leading the way with a pair of RBI's, while collecting just one hit in seven attempts. Along with Dummar and Walker, Alfonso was joined in the RBI column by Joe Roberti, Trey Stover and Adam Touhey.

The Hawks struck first in the opener, scoring a single run in the bottom of the first courtesy of a mistake from Maine starter Jake Marks. Stover opened up the inning with a leadoff single through the left side. On the next at bat Stover's fellow middle infielder Brian Estevez pushed him into scoring position as he laid down a perfect bunt down the first baseline sacrificing himself. After taking third on a balk, Stover was able to score as Marks threw a third strike wild pitch to right fielder Ryan Lukach.

The Hawks collected five more runs in the bottom of the second, knocking Marks out of the game in the process. Rookie Chris DelDebbio was hit by a pitch to open the inning and became the second base runner thanks to a single from , the designated hitter. Roberti's single allowed DelDebbio to take third as a passed ball put the center fielder at second. He then became the first run of the inning on a perfectly placed bunt down the first base line from Dummar, the third baseman.

Stover connected on the third single of the inning, this one to right field which allowed Roberti to score and put runners on first and second for Estevez. Estevez looked to sacrifice himself, but reached safely as the ball slipped out of the hand of Maine catcher Mike Connolly. That error allowed Dummar to score and put a pair of runners in scoring position for Brady Sheetz who was hit by a pitch forcing the bases loaded. After Maine reliever AJ Bazdanes recorded a strikeout in the first batter he faced, Alfonso capitalized on a line drive single to right field that allowed two runs to score, his eighth and ninth RBI's of the season.

The Black Bears got five runs back in the top of the third, registering just two hits in the inning. After easily retiring the first two batters, Hawks starter Brian Hunter issued two-straight free passes, clipping Collin Gay and Mike Fransoso putting runners on first and second for third baseman Alex Calbick who singled to right field but only advancing Gay and Fransoso one base, leaving all three occupied. Hunter would then issue three more free passes, walks to Brian Doran, Scott Heath and Fran Whitten, all three recording RBI's. Brian Murphy would replace Hunter on the hill and gave up a single to center to the first batter he faced with Connolly recording the final two RBI's for the Black Bears.

The Black Bears tied the score in the top of the seventh, manufacturing a single run. Gay opened up the inning with a single and after a pair of infield groundouts pushed him to third, was able to score on a single through the right side from Doran. That run would push the opening game into extra innings with the Hawks capitalizing in the top of the ninth off of Bazdanes, who had pitched a gem before allowing the game-winning run.

Touhey would open the top of the ninth with a single to left center and stayed active on the bases, taking second on a wild pitch. After being sacrificed to third by Dummar, Touhey was able to score on a pinch hit walk-off single to right field from Walker.

Reliever Jeremy Charles would pick up his first victory as a Hawk, pitching a single inning without allowing a hit and striking out two batters. Hunter would end up pitching two-and-a-third innings allowing five earned runs on just two hits and five strikeouts. Murphy provided the bulk of the work on the mound, pitching 5.1 innings and allowing one earned run on four hits. He also struck out three.

In the rubber-game, the Black Bears struck early and often, taking a 6-0 lead through the first five innings, while allowing just four base runners for the Hawks, only one of which worked his way into scoring position before being left aboard.

Maine's first two runs came in the top half of the first without starter Sean Newcomb allowing a hit. Sam Balzano led off the game reaching on a fielding error against Hartford. The next three batters would also reach safely, two by walks and the third a fielder's choice with the Black Bears first run coming courtesy of a wild pitch and the second thanks to an infield groundout with Doran collecting the RBI.

The Black Bears added to their tally with a single run in the third, and added three more in the fifth. The run in the third came by way of a Hartford passed ball, while four straight hits from Balzano, Gay, Fransoso and Calbick to lead off the fifth resulted in a 6-0 lead for the visitors. The final Maine run came in the ninth with a one out walk issued to Gay coming back to hurt the Hawks as he was driven home three batters later as Doran single to centerfield allowing Gay to score easily with two outs.

Hartford wasn't able to scratch a run until the bottom of the seventh, their last chance at putting a notch on the score board. Lukach led off the bottom of the seventh wheeling out a bunt single down the third base line. He advanced to second on a walk issued to DelDebbio and became the first run of the inning on a double down the right field line from Roberti. DelDebbio would then score on an infield groundout with Touhey collecting the RBI.

Newcomb would suffer the loss in game two, falling to 1-3 on the season. He pitched four-plus innings but was tagged for six runs, three of which were earned, on five hits. He also walked five batters and struck out a weekend-high eight. Anthony Mannuccia and Tyler Corsi would also see time on the hill in the nigh cap. Mannuccia pitched a pair of innings without allowing a hit, while Corsi pitched a single inning and allowed an unearned run on two hits and two walks.

The Hawks return to Fiondella Field in 48 hours when they host Nutmeg State rival Connecticut at 3:00 p.m.