ORONO, Maine – The Hartford baseball team earned a doubleheader split against the league leading Maine Black Bears on Saturday afternoon dropping the opening game by a 5-3 score before posting a 3-1 victory in the nightcap. The Hawks were led on the day by second baseman Brian Estevez who finished the opener 3-for-3 at the plate while short stop Trey Stover finished game two going 2-for-3 with a double and a triple to his credit.

Estevez's three hits led eight total for the Hawks in game one while Stover's two hits was half of Hartford four total in game two. Stover would finished the afternoon going 3-for-6, while Stover finished 3-for-7 overall.

On the hill the Hawks starters gave up just two runs, one of which was earned, in nine innings of work. Anthony Mannuccia, who pitched four innings of scoreless relieft, earned the day's only victory on the mound. He gave up just one hit and struck out six batters. Jeremy Charles pitched one inning of perfect relief to earn his fifth save of the season. Freshman reliever Brian Murphy suffered the set back in the opening game.

The Hawks opened the day scoring their first run in the top of the first inning in the opening game with Estevez and right fielder Ryan Lukach each scattering doubles. Estevez sent the first hit of the game down the left field line for the first of three hits in game one, while Lukach knocked in that first run with two outs recorded when he sent his only hit of the game into center field for two bases.

The Hawks would hold that lead until the fourth when the Black Bears put their first notch on the scoreboard tying the game. Short stop Mike Fransoso became the first runner of the inning when he worked a leadoff walk before stealing second to get himself into scoring position. An infield single from first baseman Alex Calbick would allow Fransoso to advance only 90 feet while right fielder Brian Doran followed that by sacrificing himself on a fly ball to left field allowing the short stop to score.

Hartford took that slim lead right back with a single run in the fifth with left fielder Adam Touhey leading off the inning with a single to center field. Third baseman Aaron Wilson followed that by working a walk to put two runners on with no outs. The Hawks shortstop would then sacrifice himself on a bunt which allowed both runners to advance one base while Estevez came through with his second hit of the game, an infield single, that allowed Touhey to score the go ahead run.

The Black Bears then took the lead for good scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth after Hartford went to its bullpen replacing freshman starting pitcher Kyle Gauthier with another rookie, Murphy. He would give up four hits and a walk in the innings with Doran providing the biggest punch in the inning a two run single to center field. Two other Black Bears would go back-to-back with singles, Eric White and Mike Connolly, with each driving in insurance runs.

The Hawks were only able to muster one of those runs back in their last half inning with a single to center field from catcher Billy Walker beginning the inning. Singles from Wilson and Stover would load the bases for Estevez, whose patience allowed for a free RBI as he earned a walk.

Murphy fell  to 0-2 on the season, allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits and a walk in his one inning of work. Gauthier lasted five innings in his ninth start of the season allowing just one earned run on three hits and two walks. He also struck out one.

The Hawks again struck first in the nightcap scoring the opening runs in the top of the second inning when they put two on the board. Lukach would start the inning with a leadoff walk and that was followed by a single to centerfield from the centerfielder Chris DelDebbio which left runners on first and second. Hartford was awarded with two passed ball, the second of which allowed Lukach to score and left DelDebbio at third where he was able to score on as Walker sacrificed himself on a fly ball to right field.

Maine's only run came in the bottom of the fourth inning when Doran led off the inning with a walk and was able to advance to 90 feet away on a passed ball and a wild pitch. Kyle Silva then took Walkers cue and sacrificed himself to drive in the run.

Hartford regained their two run advantage in the top of the eighth when DelDebbio came through with his own sacrifice fly after coming to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. His fly ball allowed Stover to score after he led off the inning with a triple to center field.

The Hawks then didn't give Maine an opportunity in the ninth as Charles came out of the pen to earn the save. Charles retired the Black Bears in order for the final three outs on a strikeout and two fly balls.  

The Hawks and Black Bears will close out the series with a single game on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.